Images And Imperfections
by danielie
Summary: Sasuke smirked. "She'll be for fangirl-exterminating purposes only." Unexpectedly, he fell in love... and she found out about his plan. AU, mainly SasuSaku, with NaruHina, NejiTen and ShikaIno.
1. A Troublesome Plan

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )  
**_Woo! danielie here in my seventh story—huzzah, the lucky number! Finally, a full-fledged SasuSaku story! (And all the other pairings too, but SasuSaku is the main… so there won't be __too__ much of the others.) I'm going to start all the chapters with a song excerpt like this one… and here we go!_

_**(.s.)  
**_Who has to know  
When we live such fragile lives  
It's the best way we survive  
I go around a time or two  
Just to waste my time with you.  
_**(.s.)**_

"Dammit," Sasuke said when he saw his locker. "They did it again."

Shikamaru, Neji and Naruto stood back as Sasuke approached his locker with caution. The door was bulging out three inches, and looked like it would burst open at any moment.

Sasuke wrenched it open quickly, and was instantly drowned in a flood of love letters.

"Why can't your fangirls just see that you're not destined to be together?" Neji asked.

"Yes; they sent you chocolate!" Naruto yelled. "I'm taking it!"

"Knock yourself out," Sasuke groaned as he threw the love letters into the trash.

"What a drag," Shikamaru sighed. "It must be annoying to have them on your case all the time."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "What about yours?"

Naruto snickered. "We don't have them anymore!"

"Hn?" Sasuke said—for once it showed expression, and sounded a bit more like a question. "What did you do to them? Poison? Because I tried and—"

"Nothing like that!" Naruto grinned. "They just realized they can't have us!"

Sasuke began to get annoyed. "How?"

"We have the one thing you don't—a girlfriend!"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes as he looked at each of his friends in turn.

Naruto had that Hinata girl… Neji's cousin with the stuttering.

Neji had Tenten… that chick with the buns.

Shikamaru had Ino, who Sasuke personally thought to be more trouble than she was worth.

And he had…?

"I'm getting one, too," Sasuke said finally.

"You want a girlfriend?" Neji said perplexedly. "I thought you hated that kind of thing?"

"I do," Sasuke said. "But I'll do anything to get rid of these stupid fangirls."

"Are you crazy!?" Naruto yelled. "No girl is going to go out with you for a reason like **that**!"

"Don't be an idiot," Sasuke sneered. "She won't know."

Seeing the confused look on his friends' faces, Sasuke elaborated. "She'll love me… well do that stupid boyfriend-girlfriend thing… but I won't love her back. She'll be for fangirl-exterminating purposes only."

"No way." Neji said immediately.

"That sounds troublesome," said Shikamaru. "And besides, where are you going to find a—"

But Sasuke's eyes were already searching the halls for a suitable girl. Someone who was good-looking enough, and had a decent brain.

He didn't find many good results, but then his eyes stopped at the other end of the hall, where his friends' girlfriends were. That pink-haired girl was with them—Sakura Haruno. And… _was she blushing at him?_

Ino pointed at Sasuke, and whispered something to Sakura, who seemed to be holding a letter in her hand. A love letter, by the look of the envelope; which meant she already liked him.

Perfect. Easy catch.

"Sasuke, you CAN'T just—" Naruto started yelling, but Sasuke swiftly put a hand over his mouth and pushed him away as Sakura approached.

"Hi Sasuke," she said, fiddling with the uniform's blue tie. "I'm Sakura Haruno and um… I was wondering if maybe we could go out after school?"

She said the last part so fast that Sasuke almost missed it. Neji and Shikamaru watched the exchange anxiously, and Naruto looked frozen in his position on the floor.

"Sure," a reply came from Sasuke's lips. "Meet me at the school gates at 3."

Sakura blushed and smiled, elated, while Naruto, Shikamaru and Neji gaped at their friend.

"See you around," Sasuke whispered somewhat seductively as he put a hand on Sakura's shoulder. Then he walked around her, his hands in his pockets.

"_Mission accomplished,"_ he thought. If only Sasuke knew that this was far from over.

* * *

And there's the first Chapter—finally! (Those of you who keep up with my profile will know how long I've been struggling with this. XD) The song excerpt at the top is from 'Dirty Little Secret' by The All-American Rejects. Oh, and for updates… they're going to be on and off… but I'll update as soon as I can! Review please!


	2. At Three O' Clock

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )  
**_Woo! I'm so glad so many people liked Chapter 1! You guys are the best! As a note, I know that usually write out the names of all my reviewers at the top, but I won't be doing that anymore. (Time and space, people, time and space.) So __from now on, I'm going to send review replies to everyone.__ Hooray! XD Anyway, on with the Chapter!_

_**(.s.)  
**_Tell me how you've never felt delicate or innocent,  
Do you still have doubts that us having faith makes any sense?  
You play games I play tricks, girls and girls but you're the one,  
Like a game of pick up sticks, played by fucking lunatics._**  
(.s.)**_

"No way!" Naruto shouted as Sasuke walked off.

"You jerk! Get back here!" he continued shouting, chasing the black-haired boy. Shikamaru and Neji ran after them; leaving Sakura standing in the hallway.

"Sasuke!" Naruto yelled as he jumped in front of him. "You can't! We've been in the same class as her since grade school!"

"And?" Sasuke rolled his eyes. "It's the fastest way to get rid of my fangirls."

"I have to say this plan does sound like a drag," Shikamaru ran a hand through his hair.

Sasuke glared at them, and Naruto glared back. "I'm telling Sakura. She doesn't deserve this," he turned on his heel.

"Twenty bowls of ramen if you keep quiet."

Naruto stopped midstep, and slowly turned back to Sasuke. "Thirty."

"Done," Sasuke nodded.

"Sasuke," Neji said seriously, "you're toying with emotions here. This is a bad idea."

Sasuke smirked. "I know what I'm doing," he said. "And hey, it's almost 3."

* * *

"SAKURA, WE SAW EVERYTHING!" Ino yelled as she hugged her friend from behind. "We're all so proud of you!"

"Y-Yes," Hinata stammered. "W-We're glad Sasuke said yes."

"Speak for yourself. I still don't get what's so attractive about him," Tenten folded her arms.

"Well, you should. Because in the ice box kind of way, he's a lot like Neji." Ino said.

"Neji's not an ice box..." Tenten muttered to herself.

"Anyway, Sakura!" Ino grinned at her friend. "Your crush since _forever_ has finally asked you out! You must be so psyched—Sakura?"

"_**Sasuke Uchiha asked me out!"**_Inner Sakura yelled as she did a happy dance inside Sakura's head, which is what she had been doing since Sasuke said yes. _**"He asked me out! CHA!"**_

"… Sakura?"

"Huhn?" Sakura snapped out of her trance, and looked at Ino. "Oh, yeah, I'm really happy... and nervous," she admitted.

"You have no reason to be!" Ino waved a finger in her face. "You've already done the hard part—now you just have to be yourself!"

Hinata looked at her watch. "I-Ino, I think…"

"We have to celebrate! And throw a party in your honour!"

"I-Ino…" Hinata gently tapped her friend's shoulder.

"And since we're dating best friends, we can go on _quadruple dates_!"

"I-Ino. Sakura has to go—"

"And we can go on vacation together!"

"INO YOU DUMBASS IT'S THREE O' CLOCK AND SAKURA'S GONNA BE LATE!" Tenten yelled at the top of her voice.

"Well why didn't you just say that?" Ino said. "Let's go, you guys! School's over and Sakura has a date with destinyyyyy!" she took Sakura's hand and they ran together to the school gate.

Hinata turned to Tenten. "Th-Thank you," she said.

Tenten shrugged. "You just have to know how to say it."

* * *

When all four girls reached the gates, the boys were already there.

"Shikamaru!" Ino threw her arms around him, and he returned the gesture while whispering 'Troublesome.' Hinata shyly held Naruto's hand as a silent hello, and Tenten said hi to Neji.

Cautiously and feeling just a little intimidated, Sakura approached Sasuke. "Ready to go?" he said, no emotion in his voice.

And how is it that with no emotion, he still managed to sound so sexy?

"Yeah," Sakura nodded shyly, and the two of them exited the school.

* * *

Chapter 2 down! The song excerpt was from 'Show Me Love' by t.A.T.u.

This Chapter was kinda like a base—setting the pace for things to happen. (Yes, things will be happening! Like I said, I have big plans for this story!) So what does Sasuke have planned on this date to trap Sakura in his web of fake love? Wait for Chapter 3… and remember to review!


	3. Different Kind Of Girl

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )  
**_Thanks for being so patient! Here's Chapter 3!_

_**(.s.)  
**_And life is just a moment,  
You might as well enjoy this day.  
It's time to start believing  
That everything you want is on it's way…  
_**(.s.)**_

As they walked together, Sasuke noticed some girls glaring at Sakura. Their arms were crossed, and the words they were whispering did not sound friendly.

His plan was working already.

"Sasuke," Sakura looked at him, "Where are we going?"

"Right here."

Sasuke stopped so suddenly that Sakura nearly walked into him, and she stood speechless in front of 'Jet Sunday', the most expensive restaurant in town.

Sasuke watched Sakura's mouth drop. _"Perfect," _he said. _"I knew she'd be impressed. Now all I have to do—"_

"Do we… do we really have to eat here?"

Sasuke wondered if he had heard her right. "What?"

"I'm sorry," she said. "I just—"

He never got to hear the rest of her statement, because just then he was dragged behind a huge tree.

"Tenten?" Sasuke blinked.

"Shh," Tenten said as she watched Sakura go to look for Sasuke in an entirely wrong direction.

Once the pink-haired girl was out of earshot, she said "Idiot! Don't take her to a fancy place like that! She wants to go somewhere where she can have fun!"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow as he looked at her, and Tenten slapped her forehead, thinking _"He really __is__ like Neji!"_ Then she turned back to Sasuke.

"Sakura's not that kind of girl… she wants to go somewhere where she can have fun! And she'd better have fun, because she really likes you! And if she gets hurt, I'm kicking your whiny rich-boy ass!"

"I didn't choose to be rich," Sasuke said. "I just happened to be born into the Uchiha family."

"Which just happens to own everything in town," Tenten rolled her eyes.

"Everything the Hyuuga doesn't own," Sasuke said. "Do you tease Hinata and Neji about being from _that_ rich family?"

Tenten blushed, and then she saw Sakura coming back. "Go!" she pushed Sasuke from behind the tree, "and remember what I said!"

"Hey!" Sakura ran towards him. "Where'd you go?"

"Nowhere," Sasuke said, and started walking away. "Let's go."

He casually glanced behind the tree, and saw no one there. _"Hn…"_ he thought of her advice, and glanced at Sakura. _"Not that kind of girl…" _

* * *

"Oh wow!" Sakura breathed. "This is great_!" _

Sasuke stood behind her as she sat on the swings in the park. "Push me?" she asked, and he did, watching her go higher and higher each time.

What girl would prefer to go to a park than a gourmet restaurant? He sighed as he watched her pink hair sway, and she started talking.

"I'm sorry for not wanting to go to the restaurant. I mean, it was great and all, but I just…"

"… don't like that kind of thing," Sasuke finished.

Sakura looked at him, "Yeah," she seemed amazed, and then she smiled. "You know me so well!"

Sasuke looked away. _"If only you knew."_

Sakura tried to stand on the swing and do a trick, but she tripped and fell backwards, sending both herself and Sasuke falling to the ground.

She groaned, and then saw Sasuke was sprawled beside her.

"Sorry!" she exclaimed as she leaned over him, not daring to touch him as sat up.

"No problem," he muttered as he brushed off his navy blue uniform.

Sakura looked at him worriedly. "I really am sorry…"

And then Sasuke made the mistake of looking up into her jade eyes, which looked worried and sincere as she hugged him.

Warm. That was the only way to describe it. Their bodies close together, with her arms wrapped around him, felt warm. Something in the back of his mind told him to put his arms around her, but he dismissed that thought instantly.

"I'm alright," he said, standing and breaking her embrace.

"Oh… okay." Sakura smiled again. "Well, let's try the slide," she said, walking toward it.

Sasuke watched her retreating form. What was she doing to his head?

* * *

There's Chapter 3! The song used was 'The Creationist' by Kerli.

Thanks so much for being patient, everyone! Oh, and feel free to review this Chapter too! And for those of you who are reading for the first time, please continue! -smile- Please review!


	4. Is It Okay?

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )  
**_Hi there everyone! Thanks to your patience and great reviews, I'm here I am with an update. :) On with Chapter 4! _

_**(.s.)  
**_Am I more than you bargained for yet?  
I've been dying to tell you anything you want to hear  
Cause that's just who I am this week.  
_**(.s.)**_

A few hours later, Sasuke sat hunched over a desk in the library doing History homework.

"The reason for the Declaration of Independence was…"

"Cherry blossom."

"Cherry bloss— Naruto!"

Sasuke angrily turned to face his friend; a little embarrassed that he had actually reached the second 's' in 'blossom' before he realized that he was writing foolishness.

"Cherry blossom," Naruto said. "That's what the word 'sakura' means in English, y'know?"

He gave Sasuke a nudge, and the black-haired boy scowled. "What the heck are you doing in the library, Naruto?"

"Just wanted to bother you," Naruto smiled.

Sasuke sighed and turned back to his homework.

"How was your date?" Naruto asked.

"It was good," Sasuke answered.

"Good?" Naruto asked, a devilish grin on his face.

"Hn," Sasuke replied. "Not that I actually enjoyed it. But she's totally falling for it."

"I'm sorry for Sakura…" Naruto said. "… It's just that the ramen is so good…"

"Better be," Sasuke said under his breath. "When you said thirty bowls, I never knew you meant thirty bowls _of every flavour._"

Naruto grinned. "What did you expect? Now, Hinata and I will have enough ramen to last months…"

"_That girl is going to get so sick...__" _Sasuke thought.

"Anyway," Naruto said, "even though we never talked to her, Sakura was always in our class—"

"You brought this up already."

"Yeah, but—"

"She's no more special than any other girl," Sasuke stated, rapidly scribbling a sentence onto his paper. "I'm not going to change my mind."

Naruto's expression got sad.

"And Naruto…"

"Yeah?"

"Don't you have this homework to do, too?"

"OH SHIT!" Naruto yelled. "Can I copy it from you tomorrow?—PLEASE!?"

"Shh!" the librarian scolded them.

Sasuke shook his head. Some things just never change.

* * *

The next day Sakura sat in History, the first class of the day, taking notes as their teacher Gai spoke.

Sasuke and Naruto came in late (as Naruto had just finished copying Sasuke's homework minutes before), and they tried to slide their work onto the desk and slip to their seats without being noticed—but of course it didn't work.

"Naruto, Sasuke," Gai said sternly. "It is unyouthful to be late!"

"Car broke down…"

"Spilled my ramen…"

"No!" Lee said, standing. "No excuses! You both deserve detention for being unyouthful!"

"Ah, but Lee, forgiveness is quite youthful!" Gai said.

"I'm sorry for being wrong!" Lee said.

"I'm sorry you were wrong as well, but because I was right, I forgive you youthfully!"

"LEE!"

"GAI!"

"LEE!"

Sasuke and Naruto just sat down, knowing they had been forgotten, and the rest of the class waited impatiently for the hugging and shining teeth to be over.

Sasuke noticed Sakura at the back of the classroom; apparently taking notes from the blackboard.

"_So that's where she sits," _he thought. Even though they had always been in the same class, he had never really noticed her.

"Now," Gai wrote on the blackboard, "I am giving you all a group project."

Complaints could be heard all over the classroom from everyone except Lee, but Gai ignored them. "Do not worry, students, the project has a very youthful topic!"

And he wrote on the board:

_Great Women In History._

"All you are required to do is pick one woman who you find to inspiring, state your reason, and do a short presentation on her for the class. This is due in three days, and you will work in pairs."

Sakura immediately turned to Ino, but saw her hugging Shikamaru possessively, screaming "He's mine, bitches! BACK OFF."

She looked around, and saw Hinata with Naruto, and Tenten with Neji.

She gulped. Everyone around her had automatically paired up.

"Oh no! Youthful Sakura does not have a partner!" Lee yelled.

"That's unyouthful," Gai said. "Oh, she can work with this also partnerless boy!"

Sakura smiled when she saw she was partnered with Sasuke.

"We just keep running into each other," she joked as she dragged her desk over to his.

"Hn," he said. "Who do you want to do the project on?"

"Not sure," Sakura said truthfully. "Hey… can we meet at your house to do it after school?"

"No," Sasuke said immediately.

"Why not?" she asked. "I mean, the Uchiha mansion is nearby, right? I live a little far from here."

"We can meet in the library."

"But we'll have to talk, and the librarian's strict."

"We're not meeting at my house."

"Why not?"

Sasuke gritted his teeth, but then looked at Sakura; and saw her emerald green eyes wondering why he was so bothered by an innocent question.

"Fine," he muttered. "My house. Whatever."

The bell rang. "See you after school!" Sakura waved as she took up her things and walked away; and Sasuke realized what a big mistake he had just made.

* * *

Hey everyone! Woo, fourth chapter down! (This was one of those plot-building chapters. And I made it longer than the others since people said they were kinda short... hope you like this length.)

The song excerpt was from 'Sugar We're Goin' Down' by Fall Out Boy.

You've just gotta wonder what could possibly be so bad about Sasuke's house (mansion!) right? And what'll happen when Sakura goes there? Woo, the plans I've had for this story finally start! Wait for the next Chapter, and remember to review!


	5. Invites And Family Problems

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )  
**_Hi everyone! An update, yay!  
Yes, I know it's very late… but I seriously am swamped with work; and I'm about to fail Math. (Ugh.) I'll have to try to update soon… but I make no promises. Anyway, here's the Chapter! Read on— it gets better towards the end! (And for those who don't know, a Rave is a wild party.)_

_**(.s.)  
**_And you should have told me when you met me  
All these things I should know.  
I should have asked, we should have talked  
About this so long ago…_**  
(.s.)**_

Sakura was ready to go and meet Sasuke when she ran into Ino and Shikamaru.

"Sa-ku-ra!" Ino sang. "I have something for you!"

She thrust an invitation into the pink-haired girl's hands, and Sakura read through it.

"Ino," Sakura said, "this is an invitation to a Rave for people over eighteen."

"Yeah."

"We're sixteen."

"Yeah."

Sakura just looked at her. "We're underaged."

"So?" Ino rolled her eyes. "Sakura, you never go anywhere! Have fun for once! Shikamaru and I are going!"

"We are?" Shikamaru asked.

"Yeah, we are," Ino said and smiled sweetly. "Pleeeease?"

Shikamaru turned away, hiding a blush. "Troublesome."

Sakura smiled at them and sighed. She always got wrapped into one of Ino's schemes. "Fine, I'll go."

"Yay!" Ino smiled and clapped her hands, but then turned from Shikamaru and her expression grew dark. "But bring Sasuke with you. Raves aren't the kind of place a girl would want to be alone…"

Sakura's head snapped up to look at Ino, but as soon as the dark expression came, it was gone, and she was latched on to Shikamaru again.

"We're going on a double date with Neji and Tenten! Later!" she waved and dragged Shikamaru away.

Sakura was left standing with the invitation in her hand. After thinking for a few seconds, she stuffed it in her pocket and ran to the school entrance.

* * *

Sasuke tapped his foot impatiently as he stood in the driveway. Suddenly, Sakura appeared.

"Sorry I'm late!" she said as she panted beside him.

"Hn. Not a problem," he said. Actually, he wanted to yell at her for making him wait so long, but that wouldn't help very much in getting her to like him.

She smiled innocently. "Let's go," she said as she walked towards the gate.

"Stop."

She turned around. "What is it?"

"The car is there."

Sasuke pointed a few metres away at a black Rolls Royce, and Sakura's mouth dropped.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me," she said in disbelief.

Sasuke ignored this reaction and sat in the backseat, Sakura hurriedly getting in after him.

"Back to the mansion." Sasuke said to the driver.

The driver nodded, and a glass came up, separating Sasuke and Sakura from him.

There was silence for a little while. The Rolls was so big that Sakura found it unbelievable that it wasn't a room. She glanced at Sasuke, who was staring ahead of him with his usual stoic expression.

"_The two of us… are alone here…"_ Sakura realized, and then remembered the adorable exchange she'd just seen between Shikamaru and Ino. _"I want to be open like that…"_

So she slowly reached for Sasuke's hand…

… And he pulled it away.

Sakura's eyes widened, and she looked at him disbelievingly. _"What?"_

Meanwhile, Sasuke smirked to himself. _"I'm not that easy. She likes me… and I don't care. It's just to ditch the fangirls."_

"Sasuke—"

"The only reason we never drove last time is because the limo was being serviced, if that's what you're going to ask." Sasuke said; though he knew very well that that was not her question.

"Oh. Okay," Sakura said timidly. Then she looked out of the window. "Oh my gosh."

They were in front of the Uchiha mansion… and it was bigger than any building Sakura had ever seen. As they passed through the huge, white gates and drove along a seemingly endless driveway, they passed fields and fields of flowers until they finally arrived at the house.

"This is the prettiest place I've ever seen," Sakura breathed as she stood in front of the door.

Sasuke stood emotionless as he spoke into the intercom. "Let me in."

Within seconds the door was opened by a tall, skinny man with graying hair.

"Master Sasuke," he said in a tone that was definitely less than friendly. "Ah. And you brought your girlfriend."

Sakura blushed. "A-Actually, I'm just someone from school. I'm, uh, Sakura Haruno," she added hurriedly.

"Katsu Morino," the man said. "I've served the Uchiha family for years."

"Inside," Sasuke interrupted them and cut across their paths.

Sakura rushed to follow him, and found herself in a room that she could get lost in. From high ceilings hung huge chandeliers. There were statues everywhere. Every room was fully carpeted red, and the carpets were so clean it seemed like a sin to walk on them.

"Wow," Sakura said. "Your family must love it here; it's amazing."

Sasuke's face hardened, and Sakura felt as if she had said the wrong thing.

Katsu turned to Sasuke. "You never told her?"

"Told me what?" Sakura looked from Sasuke to Katsu and back.

"Master Sasuke has no family." Katsu said, and Sakura felt her breath get caught in her throat. "He is one of two remaining members of the Uchiha clan."

"I…" Sakura said as she looked at Sasuke. His back was turned to her, and his hand was clenched into a tight fist. "I'm sorry."

"Can we just start!?" he said, irritated as he rolled out a piece of cartridge paper.

Sakura felt as if she was unable to move. Sasuke was more upset than she'd ever seen him. _"How could I not have known about this?"_

Her eyes flickered to Katsu for a moment; and she was shocked again. He was sneering at Sasuke. He actually seemed happy to see him like this.

"Sasuke…" Sakura tentatively stepped closer to him as the black-haired boy emptied things for their project onto the table.

"How can you make a poster without scissors?" Katsu asked sarcastically.

"Scissors," Sasuke repeated under his breath while curse words ran through his mind. He started up the stairs, but instantly stopped when Katsu chided him.

"You're nothing like your brother."

Just for a second, only a second, Sakura saw many emotions flash in Sasuke's eyes. Hurt, sadness, fear… and _hatred._

"Sasuke…" she whispered slowly. "You have a brother?"

* * *

End Chapter 5! The song used was 'Danger Zone' by Gwen Stefani. (I love her!)

Woo! Chapter 5 down! (Sorry for the cliffy. : ) The next Chapter is one that I've been waiting to write! (Haha, more surprises!) Before that, though, remember to review, I'm sending review replies—and in your review, you can comment about the length, and tell me if I'm doing okay! So… review please!


	6. A Haunted Past And A Promise

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )  
**_Yay, danielie here with an update! FINALLY, huh? XD Well, we're on Easter holidays now, so I finally got a chance to write. (And I got a nine and a half out of ten for my Math project… so there's a small chance I won't fail… I just have to pray… A LOT.) Anyway, on with the Chapter!_

_**(.s.)**_  
I'll wait for you until you finish your fight,  
I'll wait for you until the timing is right,  
I'll wait for you until you knock on my door,  
Cuz right now it's feeling just like a movie yeah, yeah...  
Just like a movie...  
_**(.s.)**_

An eerie, awkward silence filled the room; and Sasuke's fist clenched even harder.

"Whether or not I have a brother is none of your business," he said finally, and Sakura felt her heart sink.

"That's no way to talk to a lady, Master Sasuke," Kadtsu said as he placed a cold hand on Sakura's shoulder.

"Don't talk to me," Sasuke muttered angrily.

The evil glint in Kadtsu's eyes returned as he said "Would you prefer it if _I_ told her the whole story?"

Sasuke looked back at him fiercely; and Sakura could tell that some kind of intense, wordless argument was taking place.

"No," Sasuke said, "and get your hand off her. We're going outside."

Not daring to argue, Sakura walked out after him, and soon they were in the garden.

Sasuke never stopped walking, leading Sakura through a field of flowers, getting further and further from the house. After a few minutes of awkward silence, Sakura started talking.

"So, I'm guessing you do have a brother. Is he as cool as you are?" she joked.

Sasuke's ice cold glance was his only response, and Sakura instinctively stiffened.

"My brother's name is Itachi," he said unemotionally.

"Does he live with you?"

"No," Sasuke said, and Sakura noticed that his handsome face became angrier with every question.

"_This is bad,"_ she thought.

"_**Duh!" **_Inner Sakura replied. _**"Say something to make him talk!" **_

"_But what?"_ Sakura looked at Sasuke, and felt defeated. _"I've never seen him like this… he's not going to tell me anything."_

"_**But you can't lose! Think about how long you've liked Sasuke! Are you gonna give up after coming this close?"**_

Sasuke stopped walking as he felt Sakura's hand close over his elbow.

"What?" he said, his voice emotionless.

"Why…" she said slowly. "Why are you afraid to trust me?" Her eyes filled with tears.

Sasuke turned to face her. He wanted to say 'I'm not afraid of anything,' but he couldn't. _"Am I really afraid to trust her?"_

"Dammit," Sasuke said, "I might as well tell you."

Sakura looked up innocently, like a little child, and Sasuke shocked her with his first sentence.

"Itachi killed the entire Uchiha family."

To Sakura, everything in the world was still but him.

"He organized the perfect crime, from bribing Kadtsu to disarm the security systems so it would look like someone broke in, to paying a few corrupt police to cover up the crime.

Itachi killed everyone… it was easy, because they all trusted him."

"Then why…?" Sakura started, but Sasuke already knew the answer to her question.

"The only reason I'm alive… is because I was at school."

The pink-haired girl released Sasuke's arm, and just then realized that it had started raining. "I… I'm so sorry—"

"Itachi wanted to be head of the family—and fast. That's why he did it," Sasuke said, ignoring her.

"So now, everything belongs to him. He and Kadtsu never bothered to try to kill me again. It would look too suspicious; so now I'm their emotional punching bag. All I can do is keep my grades up, and hopefully start a company that can beat Itachi's."

"Sasuke—"

"I can't even fire that bastard Kadtsu," Sasuke said, "because of some fine print in a contract he made with my father."

There was silence. Sakura could feel her pink hair become matted onto her face because of the rain.

Suddenly the boy in front of her seemed very far away. They were different. His life was nothing but loneliness. He had no one for so long…

… it wouldn't be like that anymore.

She put her arms around him; their wet bodies pressing into each other.

"I'm so sorry," she said, her tears mixing with the rainwater. "I won't leave you like that, ever, I promise… I promise to stay with you!"

Sasuke looked down at the girl hugging him. Her body shook with the tears from her crying. Crying for him.

"_It's all the result of a stupid crush,"_ he reminded himself.

His usually spiky hair began to flop as the rain beat harder and harder on them, and he stared at her. _"A crush. And I don't really…"_ he couldn't tell himself that anymore.

Why couldn't he say he never cared about her?

They stayed like that, the rain beating on them, for a while, and then Sasuke broke the silence.

"Sakura," he said, and her heart raced as she felt his warm breath brush past her. "We can't stay in the rain."

"Right," she whispered, and she slowly let him go, still lightly holding his hand as they walked back to the house.

* * *

"I never told anyone about Itachi except Naruto," Sasuke said, "so I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anybody."

"Okay," Sakura said as they walked back inside the mansion.

"Master Sasuke; you're soaked!" Kadtsu said, his voice full of false concern. "Your girlfriend as well."

He turned to her, but Sakura avoided his eyes. How could she look at him knowing what she knew now?

"We're fine," Sasuke said, tossing Sakura a towel from a nearby cupboard. "I think it's time we took you home."

Sakura nodded blankly, and before she knew it, she and Sasuke were in the limousine, parked in front of her house.

"I'll take her," Sasuke said as he saw the driver reach for the umbrella, and he walked Sakura to her front door.

"We never got to do the project," Sasuke said, and Sakura just realized that.

"Yeah," she said.

They stood in front of her door; rain pouring everywhere but the sheltered space the umbrella provided.

_A kiss in the rain._

Sakura blushed as she thought of that, and looked up at Sasuke, who was just a few inches taller than she was.

"_Will he…"_

"Bye." Sasuke said as he walked away.

Sakura felt like toppling over. So much for that…

"I meant it!" she called after him, and Sasuke turned. "I really meant what I what I said!"

She marched into her house, and as he got back into the limousine, Sasuke wondered what she was talking about.

"_I promise to stay with you!"_

"_No way,"_ Sasuke said as he remembered that. She couldn't have meant it. Those words had a capacity someone like her couldn't possibly understand…

"Master Sasuke, is something wrong?" the driver interrupted his thoughts.

"No. Why?"

"Your face is red."

Shocked, Sasuke looked at his reflection in one of the car's mirrors, and saw that it was true.

"_What?"_ he wondered, _"what the heck is she doing to me?" _

­

* * *

That's the end of the Chapter! (Hopefully the next one will be up soon.) The song used was 'Wait For You' by Nelly Furtado.

Now we all know Sasuke's sad, sad past. And his heart is going through some dangerous changes. Will his plan actually work? Coming up soon is a plot twist you guys (You just gotta love me. )

Anyway, before that comes the next Chapter… and before the next Chapter comes reviews! So review please, state your opinions—I'm still sending replies! Tell me if you like the length, too! Remember to review, you guys rock!


	7. Slow Realization And White Lies

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )  
**_Hello everyone! Wow, Chapter 6 got so many reviews! Thanks guys, you rock! I sent replies! (And if I just stupidly happened to miss one, review this Chapter, and I promise I'll get back to you. : ) On with Chapter 7!_

_**(.s.)  
**_But that's disregard.  
You find another friend and you discard  
As you lose the arguments in a cable car  
Hanging above as the canyon comes between and…  
_**(.s.)**_

_The Next Day_

Sakura felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, and she moved with a kick in her step.

"_I'm so happy!"_ she thought. _"Sasuke was so honest with me! He's had a bad past…" _her smile faltered a little, _"but now that I know about it, I'll make sure that I keep my promise!"_

"S-Sakura, hi," a shy voice said.

"Hinata," Sakura smiled. "Hi Tenten, hi Ino," she saw them coming up behind her.

"_Some_one looks happy," Ino nudged her knowingly. "I'll bet this is a _Sasuke_ thing."

All three girls took Sakura's dreamy sigh as a 'yes'.

"Spill," Ino grinned, and the other three girls formed a tight ring around Sakura. "What happened, what happened? Tell ussss…"

Ino and Tenten looked like evil incarnate, while the scariest look Hinata could pull off seemed like a bunny.

Sakura opened her mouth, but then the bell rang.

"Math class—gotta go!" she looked at them apologetically and then ran off, a big smile still on her face.

"Tsk tsk," Ino shook her head. "She's such a good girl."

"Do you really think that it was Sasuke making her smile like that?" Tenten turned to the other two girls.

"Sure," they said at the same time, "why not?"

At this moment, Neji just happened to be walking through the halls, looking for Tenten so that he could walk her to class. He stopped, however, and listened from around a corner when he heard the girls mention Sasuke.

"I… dunno," Tenten shrugged. "It just seemed weird. I followed them on their date—"

"You _what_?" Hinata's mouth dropped, and Ino slapped her forehead.

"Hey, it was an impulse!" Tenten searched for an excuse. "You know I always do things on an impulse!"

The other two girls still seemed unconvinced, but Tenten just continued.

"Anyway, Sasuke just didn't seem to be having fun, and it was like he didn't know her at all! I mean, he almost took her to a fancy restaurant! She wouldn't have liked that!"

Hinata shrugged. "M-Maybe he was just taking her on an impulse."

"Very funny," Tenten said dryly, turning to Ino.

"I don't know Sasuke all that well," Ino shrugged

Neji almost felt his heart stop when he heard Tenten's next words.

"It's like he's as clueless about Sakura as Neji is about me."

"Hey."

Neji whipped around as he heard the voice behind him, and saw Shikamaru.

"Class has started," Shikamaru said in a bored voice, waving a hall monitor badge. "Go. This job is so troublesome…"

"Shikamaru!" Ino instantly ran to him once she heard his voice and grappled him into a tight hug, and Tenten went to Neji.

"You guys should all be in class," Shikamaru groaned. "I hate this job."

"Before we go," Ino said, bribing Shikamaru with a kiss on the cheek, "do you guys know why Sasuke's been so clueless with Sakura?"

Both boys froze, and glanced at each other. They knew Sasuke would have them killed if they told, but… this was different. They couldn't possibly say 'no'.

"No," they said simultaneously, and the girls sighed.

"W-Well, I-I guess Sasuke was just n-nervous then," Hinata smiled, and Tenten and Ino accepted that explanation.

"A-And…" Hinata twiddled her thumbs nervously "… d-does anyone know why for all our dates, N-Naruto keeps m-making us drink ramen?"

There was silence, and while Ino and Tenten blinked cluelessly, Shikamaru and Neji just looked away.

"I have Math now, too," Ino said, giving Shikamaru another kiss. "Bye!" she skipped off.

Tenten smiled at Neji, and walked off with Hinata to their French class. And Shikamaru and Neji were left standing still and speechless.

"They're starting to see that something's wrong," Neji said finally.

"Now that we've lied to the girls, we're gonna be in trouble, too," Shikamaru groaned. "This is such a drag!"

Neji remembered what Tenten said. "What is it I don't know about Tenten?"

"You don't know, yet you expect me to know," Shikamaru rolled his eyes. Neji saw that he had a point.

"Either way, this has to stop. Sasuke has to come clean about this, or it's all gonna blow up in his face."

Neji was about to respond to that, when he felt someone slap him on the shoulder.

"Hey!" Naruto said, his hand still on Neji's shoulder. "Where is everyone? Where's that retard Sasuke, and my Hinata?"

Neji just thought about how Hinata would react to that—_my Hinata_—while Shikamaru rolled his eyes. "Idiot. You're 15 minutes late. They went to class."

"Oh," Naruto said. There was silence again as his two friends tried to understand the level of his stupidity.

"Anyway, Naruto," Neji looked at the blond.

"What?"

"The girls are figuring out Sasuke's secret. And we had to lie to them."

_Lie._ The word had never seemed so big. Somehow, the boys knew it would come back to haunt them.

Naruto's whole expression changed. "I'll clobber him!" he yelled. "I'll find him and MAKE him apologize to her, I swear it!"

"Hey there, slackers!" a teacher called. "Stop talking in the halls and get to class!"

Naruto seemed ready to retort, so Shikamaru grabbed his arm and dragged him in the direction of their classroom, Neji close behind them. "Sasuke's there, anyway. You can argue when the class is over," he said lazily.

And that was what all three boys intended to do.

* * *

Woo, Chapter 7 down! The song excerpt was from 'Over My Head (Cable Car)' by The Fray.

Anyway, this was, for those of you who realized it, just another base Chapter. (Just to set the pace of events for the story.) And I can happily tell you that it's the last base Chapter. You guys are going to be on a serious wild ride of plot twists for the rest of the story! -evil laugh-

Okay, now, the next Chapter is Chapter 8! And… the first crazy plot twist! A short preview: The girls are slowly seeing that there's something wrong, and now the guys are gonna try to tell Sasuke… but will he actually listen? And what happens when Naruto realizes something?

I won't say any more. Cliffhangers are half the fun. : )

Review please! They really help the process! And I'm still sending replies! So... remember to review!


	8. IT, Extensions And A Date

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )  
**_Hello everyone! The first crazy plot twist was supposed to be in this Chapter… but I'm postponing it. Sorry, but I think that having it later will make the story a lot better. So this Chapter is a filler, I guess. But it's a GOOD filler. And an early update! XD_

_Remember, so far, the only class all the characters have together is History. Now, Sasuke has I.T., Tenten and Hinata have French, and all the others have Math. (Don't worry, it won't get confusing. I'm just reminding everyone where they all are.) Hope you like it! (P.S.: I.T. stands for 'Information Technology', or Computer Studies.)_

_**(.s.)  
**_I'm waiting for the night, drifting away  
On the waves of my dreams, to another day.  
I'm standing on a hill, and beyond the clouds  
The wind's blowing still and catching my doubts._**  
(.s.)**_

Sasuke tapped his pencil on his computer monitor repeatedly; obviously annoyed.

That might have _something_ to do with the fact that he'd been sitting in I.T. class, computer on, totally ready… and the teacher wouldn't look up from his stupid novel.

"Hey, Kakashi," he said after what seemed like ages of waiting. "Everyone's here. Start teaching."

"I guess I should," Kakashi sighed. "Okay. Take out your text books and—"

"KAKASHI!"

Kakashi sighed again as he turned to the door, to see a bowl-cut peeking into his classroom. "Gai. How nice of you to visit."

"Don't think I've forgotten about how you took the last doughnut in the teacher's lounge!" Gai shouted, and the students burst out laughing.

Gai pointed at Kakashi warily. "I'm on to you, Kakashi," he whispered. "What kind of teacher wears a bandana around his face, anyway?"

"What kind of teacher wears the same green outfit every day?" Kakashi countered.

"What kind of teacher reads Icha Icha in class?"

"What kind of teacher has such a ridiculous haircut?"

"My haircut is not ridiculous! It is the epitome of youth!"

"Whatever," Kakashi said. "Don't you have a class to be teaching?"

"They are quite settled doing History classwork." Gai said. "History is such an important subject. Students need to know their pasts."

"And I.T. has to do with the _future_, which I think they care more about," Kakashi said. "Now, will you go back to your class?"

Sasuke smirked. He'd never admit it, but he admired this teacher.

"Gai! You must beat Kakashi and attain eternal youth!" Lee cried.

Did he forget to mention that he hated these spandex-wearing freaks? (The school had a UNIFORM. Why they'd go and have it custom-made out of green spandex was beyond him.)

"Um, Kakashi?" a pink-haired girl walked into the classroom, and Lee and Sasuke's eyes instantly switched to her.

"**SAKURA**!" Lee shouted so loudly the class had to cover their ears. "Seeing you is such a youthful experience!"

"That's nice?" Sakura smiled weakly, and Sasuke rolled his eyes. He knew Lee had always liked Sakura, but he just disregarded it. Lee didn't have a chance, anyway.

"My teacher Kurenai sent me out of Math class to tell you and Gai to stop behaving like three-year-olds and do your job. Her words, not mine!" Sakura threw her hands up worriedly.

Everyone in the class struggled not to laugh again, except Sasuke, who merely smirked, and Lee, who began to scream about the unyouthfulness of insulting Gai.

"Fine," Gai mumbled, and walked back to his History class.

"Oh yes, I just remembered something youthful," Gai popped his head back in. "I simply have too much work from my youthful students to grade right now. And therefore I am extending the due date for your youthful project."

The students cheered, and Sasuke's smirk got bigger. Luck was always on the side of an Uchiha. (Not that they needed it much, with their perfection and all.) The due date being postponed gave them more time to do the project…

… and time for him to begin Stage 2 of his fangirl-extermination plan.

He quickly scribbled a note, and as Sakura turned to leave, she felt something light hit the back of her head and get lost in her hair. She quickly pulled it out. It was a note that read:

_The amusement park today at 5:30. Be early this time.  
-Sasuke_

She looked around until she saw him, and smiled, mouthing 'Yes!' as she walked out of the classroom.

"_Hm,"_ Kakashi thought, seeing the content look on Sasuke's face. _"Interesting."_

* * *

Just as they said they would, Naruto, Neji and Shikamaru hunted the school for Sasuke after Math class, and found him with a can of Pepsi by a vending machine near the I.T. lab.

"What's up?" he said lazily as he opened the can.

"Everything, you JERK!" Naruto yelled loudly enough for the entire school to hear, and Neji covered his mouth.

"The girls are starting to see through your plan; and to keep it secret, we had to _lie_ to them." Neji put a lot of stress on the word, but Sasuke just rolled his eyes.

"You guys are too paranoid. I haven't had a _single fangirl_ in _forever_."

"Will you stop being like that!?" Naruto pulled Neji's hand off of his mouth. "This isn't just about YOU. Do you even know how much you'll hurt Sakura?"

Sasuke chose to disregard the feeling he got from those words. "Everything's going fine. When she came to my I.T. class, I made a date with her for after school today," he smirked. "Things will step up a little."

Naruto was about going to punch Sasuke in the face when he heard a familiar voice. "A-A date after school today?"

"_Shit,"_ Sasuke thought, as he turned to see Hinata… with Ino, Tenten and Sakura. Luckily, it seemed that they hadn't heard anything else.

"Sakuraaaa!" Ino said angrily. "You never mentioned that you had a date!"

Sakura blushed. "Well… now you know."

"Yes!" Ino yelled. "And we're all coming with you—on our first ever QUADRUPLE DATE!"

"B-But we c-can't do that," Hinata said. "I-It was S-Sasuke and S-Sakura's date alone—"

"I don't mind if you come!" Sakura smiled. "It'll be fun! Right, Sasuke?" she turned to him.

Sasuke didn't answer immediately. He could feel everyone's eyes on him. He knew that if he said no, the girls would think he was a creep, and the boys would pummel him for disappointing them.

"Fine," he sighed, and the girls cheered.

"So," Tenten smiled, "where are we going after school?"

"To the Konoha Amusement Park," Sakura said. "We can just go home, change and meet there at 5:30, right?"

Everyone agreed, and rushed off to their respective classes.

Sasuke sighed again. This quadruple-date thing was going to make his new plan even harder to execute.

* * *

Woo, Chapter 8 down! The song excerpt was from 'A Neverending Dream' by Cascada.

Okay, first: note that Gai is the History teacher, and Kakashi the Information Technology teacher. I made it that way because the subjects are opposites. (Sure, I could've used Math and English… but that's been done so many times! XD The History/I.T. flows better with the story, anyway.)

So yeah. Everyone, the next Chapter will be –gasp- fluffy! (Yay! The story is due for some fluff.) And we get to see what Stage 2 of Sasuke's plan is! So… hold on for Chapter 9, and remember to review! Comment on the length, or whatever you want... just to let me know if I'm doing okay. : )


	9. Quadruple Date! Part 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )  
**_Hey everyone! Yes, I'm back, sorry for the kinda late update. And also, I've been really busy, so I just sent the last of the replies today, too. Sorry about that.  
But now, the fluffy chapter is here! But while I was writing it, I realized that including everything would make it hellishly long. So I'm splitting it up into 2 parts, this being the first one. Enjoy!_

_**(.s.)  
**_Thereover, Hereunder  
You'll never have to wonder  
We can always play by ear--  
But that's the deal my dear._**  
(.s.)**_

At 5:40, Sakura was running to the amusement park, in denim jeans and a pink t-shirt.

"_Oh no,"_ she thought. _"I'm going to be late and everyone willl be upset--"_

"Hey."

Sakura swung around, startled, and relaxed when she saw Sasuke in a long-sleeved navy blue shirt and black jeans.

"Sasuke?" she blinked. "What're you doing here?"

"Being late seems to be a habit for you. I figured I'd walk you up."

"Sorry," she blushed and turned away.

Sasuke kept his eyes on her. He honestly didn't care about taking her to the park. All that was on his mind was beginning Stage 2. And he was about to… except that a pair of hands covered his eyes.

"Naruto," he said, holding back his anger, "get your hands off my face. NOW."

"Fine, don't be such a grouch," Naruto grinned, and scratched the back of his head. He was wearing an orange shirt and jeans. Hinata waved from behind him, wearing a lavender sundress.

"N-Neji and Tenten went to get tickets," Hinata played with her fingers as she looked at Sakura. "W-We should try to catch up, they're waiting for us with I-Ino and Shikamaru."

"Awesome," Sakura smiled, and she and Hinata walked ahead, talking animatedly.

"You were about to ask her something important," Naruto narrowed his eyes as he turned to Sasuke.

"So that's why you interrupted? So I couldn't ask an important question?"

"Yes."

"I'll just ask her later," Sasuke smirked triumphantly at a stunned-looking Naruto, and their conversation was discontinued.

"Finally!" Ino said as she saw them coming. "You're here! Took you long enough!"

"Troublesome woman," Shikamaru sighed as he held her back. "Let's just get inside."

"Mm-hm," Neji said as he and Tenten passed out tickets.

Inside the park, it was a whirlwind. People of all ages and sizes were there, having fun as if the world would end tomorrow.

"This is gonna be so cool! Believe it!" Naruto yelled. "I can't wait till we go on the roller coaster!"

"Roller coaster?" Sakura blinked. "I don't like heights. Let's go on the other rides."

"No! We have to win prizes!" said Tenten.

They all stopped and looked at each other. This was a conundrum.

"Split up," Shikamaru announced finally. "We'll go in pairs… a guy with a girl," he instinctively held Ino's hand, and she held back a blush. "And I guess we'll meet back here around 9:30."

The others nodded, and they all sped off in different directions.

"Shikamaru!" Ino smiled. "Let's go! I wanna try the ferris wheel—"

But Shikamaru had walked away and sat on a nearby park bench.

"Shikamaru, what—"

"The clouds at sunset are really pretty."

He could not be serious.

"Ferris wheel," Ino said, her hands on her hips. "Now."

"Maybe later…" Shikamaru said, still looking at the sky.

"So the clouds are more interesting than I am!?" Ino yelled at him and waved her arms.

"No."

She blinked, not expecting that answer. "What?"

"They're not," Shikamaru shrugged. "But you're always _doing something._ Sometimes it's good to stop for a while, and take it slow, like the clouds, y'know? Otherwise, life would be so troublesome."

Ino would've slapped him if he hadn't made so much sense.

"You can go to the ferris wheel on your own, I don't really care. Just don't get yourself raped or anything."

She gave him a swift slap across his face.

"Ow!" he said, wincing as he held his hand against his cheek. "What was—"

"Shh, troublesome boy," she whispered as she sat next to him. "Let's watch the clouds together."

Shikamaru didn't reply. He just sat there on the bench, and let Ino lean into him. Cloud watching just got a lot more fun.

* * *

"So, now what?" Neji looked at Tenten as they walked.

Her eyes brightened. "Well, I was thinking—"

"Bumper cars?" Neji guessed.

Tenten's looked down, and she sighed. "Sure."

The walk to the bumper cars was silent, and Neji glanced at Tenten. She didn't seem to be having much fun. But why? They were doing what _she_ wanted to do!

"_It's like he's as clueless about Sakura as Neji is about me."_

Neji narrowed his eyebrows. Tenten had said that about Sasuke earlier. But if there was one thing Neji Hyuuga was NOT, it was clueless. He knew everything… well, he thought he did, until now.

"Tenten," he turned to her.

She glanced at him. "Hm?"

"Are you… having a good time?"

"Duh!" she laughed. "This is awesome!"

At any other time, he would have believed her. But right now, her smile was plastic and her words seemed very forced.

"Tenten," he said. "Don't lie."

She blinked. "What?"

"I heard you say I was clueless about you today," he said point-blank. Honesty was the best policy. "I want to know what you meant."

"I don't know what you're talking about—look, the bumper cars are over there!" she tried to skip away, but Neji caught her arms and gently pulled her to him, almost knocking them into someone. Then, he led her to a nearby lightpost.

"Tell me." His lavender eyes looked serious, and his grip on her was strong yet gentle. Tenten gave in.

"I'm not a guy," she said.

"If you were, I wouldn't be dating you," Neji rolled his eyes.

"I'm serious," she looked at him almost pleadingly. "Sure, I like to play catch, and tag, and whatever. But I want to do _girly_ things too. Like go into the Tunnel of Love, and… hugging, and kissing," she looked at him, and his eyes told her to continue.

"But I was afraid because… I didn't think you'd like me anymore. The Tenten you know, and the real me… are different," she closed her eyes, expecting the worst.

"If you and the Tenten I know are different…"

"_He's going to dump me. I knew it,"_ Tenten closed her eyes tight.

"… I guess I'll have to get to know you better."

And then he kissed her. Slowly, and powerfully, he kissed her. Some people stated whispering something about a 'shameful display', others saying 'young love', but what did he care? And she cared even less as she kissed him back.

He pulled away. "Wanna take a ride through the Tunnel of Love?"

She smiled at him—a real smile this time. "Definitely."

* * *

Woo, this chapter down! The song excerpt was from 'Whenever, Wherever' by Shakira.

Yes, I know I only got through the ShikaIno and the NejiTen this chapter. Don't worry, SasuSaku and NaruHina will be in the next one. (Yes! Another fluffy chapter!) But for now, review, and tell me how you liked this one… especially with all the fluff! And remember… I'm still replying!


	10. Quadruple Date! Part 2

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )  
**_Hello everyone, I'm SO SORRY for the super late update! First, I was out with my friends for a few days, then there was homework, and by the time my birthday came (May 28) things were totally out of control… and fun. XD But still.  
Anyway, the Chapter's here now—and relatively long as a present for you guys, because the story's now entered double digits-- Chapter 10! I'm so proud of myself! Especially for the last part—hope you like it!_

_**(.s.)  
**_C is for your confidence- Boy I love the cool in you  
R is for rumors they make- I wish that they were true  
U, you put a smile on my face- It's unforgettable  
S is for your sexiness  
H- I gotta have you…_**  
(.s.)**_

"THAT WAS THE BEST ROLLER COASTER EVER!" Naruto yelled as he pumped a fist into the air. "It was high, totally outta control and super fast—don'tcha think so, Hinata?"

Oh, Hinata thought so. It was so high that everything on the ground resembled ants, so out of control that she was struggling to walk in a straight line, and so fast that she was now a faint shade of green.

Not that Naruto noticed, of course.

"_N-Naruto is very energetic and sweet, a-and I-I love him for it,"_ Hinata reminded herself. _"I-I would do __anything__ for him—"_

"We should ride it again!"

"_Except that!" _she panicked.

"But first… ramen!" he said as he rummaged through a backpack, pulling out two cups of the instant noodles.

Hinata blinked confoundedly. "N-Naruto, t-there's no hot water," she said timidly. "S-Shouldn't we do something else, a-and maybe go to Ichiraku later?"

But then the blond pulled out a thermos, filled to the brim with hot water. "I always come prepared," he said proudly, "but we can still go to Ichiraku later, for more!"

Hinata held back a sigh as he poured the water over the ramen and handed her a cup.

People around them whispered at the strange sight ("Who makes instant noodles at a theme park, mommy?" Hinata heard a little boy ask), but Hinata's mind had another thought.

"_I wonder if he likes ramen more than he likes me?"_

She glanced at him, and he was devouring the ramen furiously. When he was halfway done, he looked up at her.

"You're not eating Hinata," he said worriedly. "Are you okay?"

"Y-Yes," she lied. "I-I'm just… not hungry."

"Aw," he frowned. "But eating ramen with you makes it twice as fun."

Hinata jolted up, and blushed. She made it twice as fun? She looked at Naruto, but he had already gone back to eating.

"H-How," she asked, overcoming her usual scared nature for a second, "h-how do I make it t-twice as fun?"

"You make everything more fun," Naruto said through a mouthful of the noodles. "You're my Hinata. My special girl."

Hinata could have died. Right then and there, she really could have died. And died happily. How could Naruto say such sweet things without realizing just how meaningful they were?

And she realized that it was just another of the many things she loved about him.

So she took a small bite of ramen, and smiled at Naruto as he gulped down more of his. He was her Naruto, her special boy.

---

"That's so cute," Sakura whispered lovingly as she stopped walking.

Sasuke glanced in the direction she was looking, and saw a prize-winning stall. Looking closer, he saw that one of the prizes was a small, brown stuffed bear with a smile on its face, holding a flower that said 'I Love You'.

He rolled his eyes. She was so easily amused. "What ride do you want to go on?" he asked.

"Um… I'm not really sure," she said. "Something that's not too high or fast, I guess."

"_Which defeats the entire purpose of coming to an amusement park,"_ Sasuke thought. "So something like… the ferris wheel?"

"Too high!" she waved her hands.

"Baby," Sasuke smirked.

"I'm not!" Sakura whined. "I just don't like high places."

Sasuke's smirk grew bigger as he stepped so close to her that there was barely any space between them. She froze, rigid as he put his hands on her shoulders and whispered into her ear.

"You'll be safe if you're with me."

---

"_**That's not fair!"**_ Inner Sakura protested as Sakura and Sasuke sat in their car of the ferris wheel. _**"He's too damn sexy!"**_

"_I know," _Sakura inwardly sighed as Sasuke got in next to her and the door closed.

The upper half of the car was made of something transparent that they could see through. She felt nervous, and didn't dare to look out as they started rising.

"_Perfect."_ The word ran through Sasuke's head thousands of times as he looked at a still-blushing, nervous Sakura. This was a perfect situation for him to start Stage 2.

By now, it was dark, and Sakura felt like she was being swept into a myriad of appearing stars as they went higher and higher. Just once, she looked out the window and felt woozy—everything on the ground was so small…

She inched closer to Sasuke, and he put his hand on hers. The sudden, un-Sasuke-like gesture made her look at him, and he looked straight ahead before turning to her.

"Sakura," he said. She loved the way his forceful, masculine voice said her name… he made it sound so amazing.

"Yes?" she said, forgetting her fear for a moment.

"I—"

"FOREHEAD GIRL!"

"Ino-pig?" Sakura said reflexively, and looked around. She saw Ino and Shikamaru in a car directly adjacent to them.

"I finally got lazy-ass here to go on some rides!" Ino yelled so they could hear her. "Isn't this amaaazing? Everything looks tiny, and all the lights are so pretty!"

"Troublesome," Shikamaru muttered—although she couldn't hear it, Sakura knew what he was saying, and laughed anyway.

"_He doesn't know how right he is,"_ Sasuke clenched his fist. Ino had totally ruined the moment!

"Hey, what were you going to ask?" Sakura turned back to Sasuke, smiling. "Never mind," he muttered.

She pouted. "I wanna know! Just ask me!"

"Later," Sasuke said, and at the same time, the ride stopped.

"Just ask me!" Sakura said as she got out and skipped along with Sasuke walking ahead, not bothering to wait for Ino and Shikamaru.

"Eventually," Sasuke said, still walking.

"And slow down!" she held him back. "Gosh, you're faster than Tenten in P.E. class."

Sasuke was about to say something when—

_SPLASH._

Yes. They had stopped right in front of a water ride, and got totally soaked as it rushed past them.

Sasuke rubbed water out of his eyes—he was dripping from head to toe, his normally spiky hair flopping down, and his clothes clinging to his skin. "Sakura," he asked, "are you alright?"

Wait... why did he ask that like he actually cared?

He had no time to think about that, though, because she was laughing hysterically. Her pink hair was matted onto her face, her clothes quite possibly ruined, body completely soaked, and she was _laughing._ Continuing to laugh, she flashed a bright smile and pulled Sasuke into a tight hug.

Sasuke just stood there with her arms around him' her shoulders shaking as she laughed. Somehow, Sasuke noticed, she was still very warm. _"What would it be like… to laugh like that?"_

Gradually, she calmed down. "Sorry," she whispered into his chest, "that was just really fun."

What was he feeling? This sudden need to hold her—

What. The. Hell. Was. That.

He quickly reverted to his normal self, and focused on the task at hand.

"Sakura," he said again, pulling away from her. "What I was going to ask you on the ferris wheel…"

"Yeah?"

"I really hope you don't think I'm taking this too fast, but I wanted… to make this official."

She felt herself blushing madly. "What?"

"I want you," Sasuke said, "to be my girlfriend officially… so we can make everyone know we're not just dating anymore." _"Especially my fangirls,"_ he added mentally.

"Sasuke, you idiot!" Naruto and Hinata came out of nowhere, closely followed by Neji, Tenten, Ino and Shikamaru. "It's 9:40! You were supposed to be back at the entrance ten minutes ago, and we had to come looking—"

"Yes!" Sakura squealed happily. "Yes! I'll be your girlfriend!"

Ino, Tenten and Hinata screamed, ran up to her and hugged her excitedly.

Shikamaru, Neji and Naruto looked at Sasuke, speechless.

And Sasuke smirked contentedly. _"Stage 2 complete."_

---

Chapter 10 down! The song was 'C.R.U.S.H.' by Ciara.  
Sasuke and Sakuta are an official item now! What'll happen when word hits the school? Are the fangirls really going to lay low, or will they actually show up? What do Naruto, Neji and Shikamaru have to say about this? All that and more in Chapter 11, coming soon... but first, review please!


	11. Fangirls And An Announcement

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )  
**_Hey everyone! FINALLY, an update! I put it in all the review replies that I wasn't gonna update until after exams... and exams are over. : D (Except Art, which is tomorrow. But it's Art.) __Finally__, summer holidays! __Thanks for being so patient__, and here's the Chapter!_

_**(.s.)  
**_Nobody wanna see us together  
But it don't matter no  
Cause I got you.  
Cause we gon' fight  
Oh yes we gon' fight. (We gon' fight.)  
Believe we gon' fight. (We gon' fight…)_**  
(.s.)**_

_The Next Day_

Around an hour before school started, Sakura sat in her seat in the Physics classroom. Because she lived a little far from school, she had to make sure she reached early—but today, she was a little _too_ early. So she decided to go over the chapter on Momentum—even if she had read it just the night before.

"_Let's see," _she aimed a yellow highlighter at the page. _"Momentum can be defined as—"_

"Hey Mrs. Uchiha,"

Sakura blushed as she looked up, and saw Ino grinning down at her.

"Ha ha, Ino," she laughed dryly. "Very funny."

"But you answered to it," Ino stated, and slammed the Physics textbook shut. "Jeez, I'd finally gotten my hopes up in thinking that now that you have Sasuke, you'd let up on the work a bit. Just cool it, it's not like we have tests every day."

Sakura's face turned red as Ino's words rang over and over in her mind. _"You have Sasuke."_

"Anyway, I'm just here because I have cleaning duty." Ino said as she picked up a broom out of the broom locker at the back of the class. "I kinda skipped doing it yesterday, so I've gotta do it now."

"_You have Sasuke. You have Sasuke. You have Sasuke."_

"Mrs. Uchiha? Are you okay?"

"Huhn?" Sakura snapped out of her reverie. "Yeah."

Ino laughed. "You answered to it again! It really is your name!"

"No it's not, and like, it totally will never be!"

Ino and Sakura turned around to see a bunch of girls standing at the door, all glowering at Sakura mercilessly.

"Um," the pink-haired girl gulped, "who are you?"

"WE ARE THE '**S**ASUKE **I**S **C**OOL **K**IND **N**EVER **E**VIL **S**UPER **S**EXY' FAN CLUB!"

Sakura and Ino just scanned the crowd of girls, who wore badges with the organization's name as an acronym. And Ino burst out laughing.

"That…" she guffawed, "that spells 'S.I.C.K.N.E.S.S.'. You are SICKNESS."

"That's a minor detail!" one girl yelled, and the girls went into a frenzy before one stood in front of them and waved her hand for silence.

Sakura gasped, and Ino narrowed her eyes. "Ami."

Ami gave a plastic smile as she swished her long purple hair over to her back. "Ino," she nodded at the blond. "Sakura," she said the pink-haired girl's name with contempt; and to Sakura, it brought back horrible childhood memories.

Ino could see this, and stepped in front of her. "What do you want?"

Ami shook her head. "Ino, Ino, Ino. Suspicious as always. If you really need to know, I'm the head of the fan club."

"Not surprising," Ino said. "You're the sickest slut here."

"Don't talk about Ami like that!" a random girl yelled, but Ami just rolled her eyes.

"We happened to hear a little rumour that Sakura here is going out with our Sasuke?"

Ino nodded, and Ami continued. "It won't be true for long. We'll do anything to protect our Sasuke, forehead-girl."

"I'm the only one who's allowed to call her that," Ino said stonily, and Ami smirked.

"Such an overprotective lackey. Anyway, Sakura, watch your back. This little faux pas you're having with our Sasuke won't be lasting long."

With another swish of her hair, Ami was out of the door, and with one final look of dislike at Sakura, the other fangirls followed her.

"Slut," Ino whispered once the girls were gone. "They're just jealous."

"How did they hear about it?" the pink-haired girl's voice was soft. "It was only yesterday…"

"Rumours travel fast, and besides, they probably stalk him," Ino rolled her eyes. "Really, though, don't worry about it. Ami—"

"—can seriously hurt me," Sakura said, and they were silent, remembering the constant teasing and bullying that had forced the school board to move Ami out of all of Sakura's classes in middle school.

"But you can't be afraid of her forever," Ino whispered. "Besides… Sasuke's worth it, and he'll help you out… I guess."

"He can't know," Sakura said, and Ino raised her eyebrows. "I don't want to worry him. I'll handle this by myself. I can," she smiled when she saw Ino's worried look.

"Okay, Sakura," Ino said, and then the bell for classes rang. "Holy crap, my cleaning duty!" she screamed as she practically threw the broom around.

Sakura smiled. She didn't want to worry her friend either.

* * *

"Naruto, for the last time, the formula for speed is distance over time," Sasuke said. "And stop eating ramen over the homework. You're getting stains all over it."

"No way, Sasuke! Ramen is necessary for concentration!" Naruto yelled, and Sasuke just had to wonder why nearly all of Naruto's statements ended with an exclamation mark.

"We're late for Physics, Tsunade won't be happy," Neji said. "Sasuke, Naruto will never pass. Let's stop helping him with the homework."

"I can pass Physics!" Naruto yelled. "Believe it!"

"But teaching it to you is such a drag," Shikamaru sighed.

"Let's just go," Sasuke said, and Neji nodded as they walked to the Physics class.

Sakura waved at Sasuke, and he smirked at her, seeing whispering explode among the students. _"The fact that we're dating should start spreading soon,"_ he thought.

"Good morning class," Tsunade said moments later as she entered.

"Good mor-ning, Miss," they answered robotically.

"Before we start today, I have to inform you that you will be having new teachers for Biology and Chemistry. Their names are Jiraiya and Orochimaru, and they will be teaching those subjects respectively."

Sasuke raised his eyebrows. New teachers for Chem and Bio? Great. That would just slow the learning process down.

If only he knew the impact one of these teachers would have on him.

* * *

There you have it—Chapter 10, finally done. : ) The song used was 'Don't Matter' by Akon.

(And yeah, Tsunade, Orochimaru and Jiraiya teach Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Why? Because I thought it would be fun to have the three sannin teach the three sciences. XD)

So yes! Orochimaru is coming! DX (Every time I type his name, it feels like the ultimate curse word.) Anyway, what impact will he have on Sasuke? And what will come of Sakura's ordeal with the fangirls; especially Ami?

Review for the next Chapter. I'm still sending replies. : )


	12. Warnings And Curiosity

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )  
**_Hello everyone, I'm so sorry!_

_Weirdest greeting ever, but it's true. Sorry for not updating. But even though school is out… I have… SUMMER SCHOOL! DX (I guess I deserve it though, because my Math grade is nothing to be proud of. Besides, it's not that bad… most of my friends are going, and we don't have to wear our uniforms, yay!) Oh wait, most schools outside the Caribbean __never__ have to wear uniforms. Oh well. That just sucks for us._

_Anyway, I'm sure you're sick of me ranting, so enjoy the chapter!_

_**(.s.)**_  
Said I'll always be your friend  
Took an oath, I'ma stick it out till the end,  
Now it's raining more than ever,  
Know that we'll still have each other,  
You can stand under my umbrella,  
You can stand under my umbrella..._**  
(.s.)**_

After Physics class was over, Sasuke found himself waiting at the door while Sakura spoke with Tsunade.

"_Let's see,"_ he thought as he looked at his watch, _"next class is I.T., and Kakashi is always late anyway…"_

"Sorry for making you wait," Sakura said hurriedly as she held Sasuke's arm. He flinched at the sudden gesture, but didn't push her off.

"Hn. What were you talking about, anyway?"

"Tsunade thinks I'm good at Physics, and she wants to put me in a more advanced class," Sakura said offhandedly. Sasuke raised his eyebrow. Tsunade was a tough teacher. The fact that she would want Sakura to switch classes could only mean that Sakura was brilliant…

He glanced at her through the corner of his eye. Because of his fangirl-extermination plan, he hadn't had much of a chance to get to know her…

"_What is she really like?"_ he found himself wondering.

"… um, Sasuke?"

Sasuke was brought back to reality when he saw that they had stopped walking, and the colour of Sakura's face matched her hair.

"You're kinda staring at me…"

"Hn," Sasuke said, and started walking again. Dammit, what was wrong with him? It was as if he went mental when she was around. "What's your next class?"

"Math," Sakura said, and Sasuke nodded as he remembered. When he had I.T., she had Math, and Gai would leave his History class to disrupt them both.

"History," Sasuke grumbled, and Sakura looked at him. "We forgot all about that project."

"Right!" Sakura said. "When can we meet at your house again—"

"Not. My. House," Sasuke growled, and Sakura shuddered at his tone while remembering what happened last time.

"Well, then, where are we going to meet?"

"Your house."

"What!?" she turned to look at him. "Sasuke, I live at least an hour away—"

"The limo can take us after school today," he said matter-of-factly.

"All the stuff we'll need—"

"—is in my locker," he finished her sentence.

"My parents will be home!"

She regretted that as soon as she said it, knowing her parents were one of the few things she possessed that Sasuke would never again have.

"… that won't be a problem." He said after a while.

"Okay," Sakura said, and wondered whether or not she should apologize.

Sasuke broke her thoughts. "Your class is here, and you're late."

"Right," Sakura nodded. "See you after class?"

"Hn," he said, giving a brief wave before he walked into the I.T. lab, which was back up the hall.

Kakashi had to do a double take when Sasuke-- secretly his favourite student-- walked in. "You're late, Sasuke. Even later than I am."

"Sorry," Sasuke muttered as he opened the text book and turned on the monitor, starting the handout of classwork that had been left on his desk.

"KAKASHI!" Gai yelled as he poked his head in.

"Gai," Kakashi sighed. "What is it now?"

"… I'm really not sure," Gai said, and all the students snickered. Sasuke twitched. What the hell was Gai smoking?

"Good job, youthful teacher Gai!" Lee yelled. "You do not need a reason to come and youthfully challenge another teacher!"

Sasuke groaned. It looked like it was going to be a long class.

* * *

Finally, the bell to signal the end of class rang. The students quickly filed out of the classroom, and Sasuke got his stuff together. As soon as he was going to pass Kakashi's desk, though, the silver-haired man stopped him.

"I need to speak with you, Sasuke, he said, and the black-haired boy raised his eyebrow.

Sasuke stood by Kakashi's desk until everyone was gone. Kakashi took a deep breath, and Sasuke waited for him to start talking, wondering what this was all about. When Kakashi did speak, though, his words were surprising.

"I think you should drop Chemistry."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Why? It's not like I'm failing it."

"Sasuke, you don't understand," Kakashi said, the one eye not hidden by his bandana was staring deep into Sasuke's face. "Orochimaru is not an ordinary teacher; and you are not an ordinary student."

Kakashi saw the confused look on the said student's face and sighed. "I couldn't possibly expect you to know what I'm talking about. But Orochimaru isn't normal. He's as close to hellspawn as you can get. And Prinicipal Sarutobi is too kind. He was playing right into Orochimaru's hands when he hired him to teach here."

Sasuke was not convinced. He narrowed his eyes. "If he's so bad," he said slowly, "why only warn me?"

"Because you're exactly what he wants," Kakashi stated, earning a confused look. "Look, Sasuke. Drop Chemistry, at least until the regular teacher comes back. I'll get you into a new class—Accounts, Art, Geography, something. Just not Chemistry. Please."

Sasuke raised his eyebrows. Kakashi looked sincere; but he didn't see what could be so bad about this teacher. Why was he so horrible that he had to be out of the subject entirely? He'd have to see a legitimate reason first.

"I'm not switching out of Chem," Sasuke stated, now seeing a defeated look in Kakashi's eyes. "At least not until I see what this is all about."

Kakashi looked as if he was about to speak, but stopped himself. "I see," he said tentatively. "What class do you have now?"

Sasuke mentally went over his timetable. "Biology."

"With Jiraiya," Kakashi nodded. "You should hurry, you may be late."

"That means a lot coming from you," Sasuke said wryly, and Kakashi gave a small smile. "Get going, Sasuke."

As soon as the raven-haired boy was out of the room and off the corridor, Kurenai was inside.

"Did it work?" she asked, and Kakashi shook his head. "In trying to get him to avoid Orochimaru, I only piqued his interest."

"Ugh, that's not good," Kurenai muttered. "You're the only one who even had a shot at persuading him. He doesn't seem to show any kind of respect to anyone else."

"Not entirely true," Kakashi said, and Kurenai's turned to him. "You're speaking in terms of teachers. I think he trusts his friends a little more. Especially Naruto. Aside from Naruto, though… I think there's a growing relationship between Sasuke and Sakura."

* * *

Whew, finally done! Even though I never updated, you guys have no idea the hell this one put me through. (I wrote like, 3 totally different versions. This one was the best.) The song was 'Umbrella' by Rihanna. Which I'm sure everyone knew already.

Now, for the chapter length: sorry guys, but you're gonna have to quit complaining about it. Really, I have very little time on my hands to write, and I'm doing my best. Also, for a fact, I know that there are people who update slower and have even shorter chapters than I do. So maybe there'll be one or two long chapters, but this'll be the standard length. Besides, with what I have planned, this story will be going on for a long time. : )

Anyway, Kakashi tries to get Sasuke to drop Chem—and fails! Sasuke's got no idea what's in for him, and they have Biology for the first time! What's new teacher Jiraiya like… and what'll happen next? Review for the next chapter!


	13. Biology Class

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. But then you already knew that. : )  
**_Yes, my dear reviewers, the story's finally updated._

_I'm really, really sorry for making you guys wait so long, but I went on vacation to see all my cousins. Yay. (Lol, I do like them, but they're annoying sometimes.) So I was away, and my relatives are sticklers with their computers. T-T_

_However, don't think I was wasting time! I wrote new chapters, so now, __I'm a few Chapters ahead of the story__ which therefore means __faster updates__. Better for both of us, right? Lol. Here's the Chapter, thanks for reading, and read the other Author's note, too!_

_**(.s.)**_  
Whoops!  
Did I say out loud, did you find out?!  
I want to have your babies,  
Get serious like crazy  
I want to have your babies,  
I see 'em springing up like daisies!  
_**(.s.)**_

When Sasuke walked into Biology, his mind still on what Kakashi had told him, there was already a teacher standing at the front of the lab. He had a heavy build, and the thickest, longest white hair Sasuke had ever seen.

"And now—oh, we have a late student," the teacher said. "What's your name?"

"Sasuke Uchiha," the said boy answered automatically.

"Sasuke…" the teacher seemed to dwell on the name for a moment. "Well, Sasuke, sit down. And don't be late for class again."

"Hn," Sasuke said, and took a seat beside Naruto, who was at a table with Neji and Shikamaru. Two rows in front of them were Tenten, Hinata, Ino and Sakura, and Sasuke touched Sakura on the shoulder as he passed her.

She seemed like she was going to fall off of her chair just from that.

"Well, like I was saying, I'm Jiraiya," the teacher said. "And for today, we'll be doing—"

"Sasuke, you bastard!" Naruto whispered, interrupting Jiraiya. "You're still lying to her! And why are you late for class?!"

"None of your business, idiot," Sasuke whispered back.

"Naruto, calm down," Shikamaru said under his breath.

Neji kicked the blond boy under the long table. "If he catches us, our fate is detention!"

"Calm down!? No way! I wanna know where Sasuke was, believe—"

But Naruto's catch phrase was cut short when Jiraiya hit him over the head with a book.

"No talking, Naruto!" Jiraiya yelled, and Naruto wondered how the teacher already knew his name.

"Like I've been saying _for the past ten minutes_" Jiraiya said, casting a look at the four boys, "today, we're going to start the most interesting life process."

"Respiration?" Sakura guessed, raising her hand.

"No," Jiraiya waved his hand.

"Movement? Digestion?" Sakura continued guessing.

"Nope," he said, and began chuckling in a demented way that made all the students want to move to the back of the room. "The most interesting life process— by far— is **REEEEEEPRODUCTION!!!**"

"ARGH!" Naruto hid under the table. Hinata blushed madly and Ino and Tenten struggled not to laugh.

Sakura couldn't believe she had been wrong, while Shikamaru sighed. Sasuke and Neji tried to maintain their usual I-don't-care looks despite the fact that their eyes were twitching.

Jiraiya looked at them, and then the rest of the class, and then started chuckling again. "And I've prescribed the ultimate reproduction text book…"

He held up the latest edition of Icha-Icha Paradise.

Biology class would never be the same.

* * *

"S-Sakura," Ino struggled to breathe. "I-I had no idea it was so _big_—"

"Shut up!" Sakura yelled, trying to support herself on Sasuke's shoulder.

"What class do we have next?" Shikamaru said, taking Ino's hand and dragging her off of the floor. He was only shaken up on the inside.

"I don't know," Tenten shuddered. "Oh, yeah… isn't today a half-day? Because of a staff meeting?"

"YES!" everyone screamed at the same time, except Sasuke, who mentally cursed. Chemistry was supposed to be the next class…

"So that means the limo will pick us up now?" Sakura asked, regaining her composure.

"Yeah," Sasuke said.

"Wait… what?" Ino said. "Where are you going?"

"To my house, to work on the History project," Sakura said brightly. At that same moment both Naruto and Ino's eyes widened; but she didn't notice. "Do you have the things from your locker that we need, Sasuke?"

"Hn," he replied as he gestured to his bag—it was a 'yes'.

"Then let's go," Sakura said cheerfully, and they both exited the school.

* * *

And Bio class is over! The song used was 'I Wanna Have Your Babies' by Natasha Bedingfield. (My friend showed it to me, and I was having trouble finding a song for this Chapter. But then it was like-- reproduction in Bio? And babies? Score! XD

Anyway, the mystery of who Jiraiya is is cleared up. And now, Sasuke is going over to Sakura's house! What are her parents like? How will Sasuke feel? And what's gonna happen while they're there? You'll see next time; and 'next time' can be sooner or later depending on reviews, seeing as the Chapter's already done. ; )

By the way, in that topic, I really want to thank you guys. I mean, I haven't updated in a month, and I -still- get reviews asking me to continue?! That's what made me want to post this, really. And I know I haven't sent all of the review replies, simply because I thought you would appreciate a Chapter more. If you want a reply, review this Chapter, and I'll get right back to you. : ) See you next Chapter (promise it'll be longer!) and remember to review!


	14. Family And Warming Up

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that.  
**_Hey everyone! The next chapter's here, yay! Before we start though, gimme a moment—I HAVE 300 REVIEWS!!! –cries happily- This is like, a serious milestone for me… thank you guys so much! And I know you'll like this chapter; I think it's good, and it's hell long to celebrate the 300 reviews! Thank you thank you thank you, and enjoy the chapter!_

_**(.s.)**_  
Her face is a map of the world  
Is a map of the world  
You can see she's a beautiful girl  
She's a beautiful girl  
And everything around her is a silver pool of light  
The people who surround her feel the benefit of it  
It makes you calm…  
She holds you captivated in her palm…  
_**(.s.)**_

"Do you have an idea on who to do the project on?" Sasuke asked, after around ten minutes of silence inside the limo.

Sakura was so surprised that he had spoken at all that it took her a few seconds to answer. "Ummm… Juliet?"

"Juliet is a fictional character," Sasuke deadpanned.

Sakura gave a small laugh. "Yeah, but… she was interesting, and 'Romeo and Juliet' was really romantic—"

"Until they both died."

Sakura pouted as she looked at him. "So who do you suggest?"

"I don't know."

"Cleopatra? Amelia Earhart? Gwen Stefani?"

"Gwen Stefani?"

Sakura giggled. "She is a great woman."

The conversation went on, and to Sasuke, the drive seemed to be much less than an hour as they got out of the car, in front of a complex filled with townhouses.

Sakura exited the limo after thanking the driver, who Sasuke instructed to come back for him at six. He followed Sakura as she skipped up to townhouse number 25 and used her key to open the door.

They stepped inside her house, and Sasuke looked around. The walls were painted in bright, cheery colours, with paintings along them, mainly of flowers. It was pretty, but not elaborate or stuffy—Sakura's home was simple and quaint.

"Sakura, you're home early!" a woman with long, red hair came from another room, and took Sakura into a quick hug. She noticed Sasuke, and smiled. "Who's your friend?"

"Mom, this is Sasuke Uchiha," Sakura gestured towards him. "He's... my boyfriend, but he's here to help with a History project," she said quickly.

At the word 'boyfriend', Sasuke inwardly winced, but he maintained his usually stoic expression; wondering why Sakura had volunteered that bit of information.

"Hello, Mrs. Haruno," he said politely. Sakura's mother gave off a pretty smile; and Sasuke noticed that except for the difference in hair colour, she and Sakura looked almost exactly alike.

"Is Dad home yet?" Sakura asked.

"Nope," her mother shook her head, "still down at the office."

"Well, Sasuke and I will be in my room, doing the project—call us down for dinner, 'kay?" the pink-haired girl started up the stairs.

"Okay, Sakura," her mother said. Then, with a sly grin at both of them, she added "Keep the door open."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, and Sakura felt the heat rush up to her face as she quickly led him to her room.

* * *

Sasuke had expected a fairy princess sort of thing, but he was wrong. It was small, and empty except for a bed, carpet, desk and bookshelf. The bookshelf and desk were white, while the walls and carpet were a faded pink. The room was, of course, filled with books on complicated subjects.

Sakura sighed as she sat on her bed, and Sasuke followed suit as he sat next to her.

His mind was filled with thoughts, and he couldn't help but voice one. "Your mother seems nice."

Sakura blushed embarrassedly and covered her face with her hands. "Sorry if she made you uncomfortable or anything—"

"She never said anything when she heard my last name," Sasuke stated. He knew from experience that when people heard it, they would either freak out or be overtly nice to him.

Sakura peeked out at him between her fingers, and Sasuke pushed away thoughts of how cute she looked right then. "That's just the way mom is. Friends are friends, no matter who they are, or how much money they have."

"And she let me come into your room."

"The door's got to be open," Sakura pointed out.

"Yes, but most mothers would never allow it. Especially if the daughter mentioned they were—" he cleared his throat "—going out."

Sakura blushed as she lowered her hands. "Well, that's the way it is here. As long as I'm honest with my parents, I can do anything I want, really," she said, beginning to rummage through the supplies.

Sasuke's mind was scrambling in unpleasant thoughts. He wondered—if they were alive, would his parents be like that? Would the Uchiha Mansion be decorated in a charming way like the Haruno household, instead of its cold sophistication? Would his mother, like Sakura's, be home, waiting for him every day?

"Sasuke? Are you alright?" Sakura asked worriedly.

Her question brought him back to reality, and he nodded stiffly.

She looked at him through the corner of her eye. "You can tell me, you know," she said tentatively as she took his hand.

Sasuke's first instinct was to move; just as he had moved when she had done this on the way to his house. But this time, he let her hand linger there for a few seconds, feeling the warmth.

"… _just to get rid of my fangirls,"_

His own words came back to him, and he pulled his hand away. "I'm fine."

Her green eyes were still focused on him, so he looked around her room. There was something sticking out from behind her bed.

Curious, he got up, and pulled it out. It proved to be a fairly large painting of pink flowers floating in the wind, surrounding a tree.

"Cherry blossoms," she explained quickly. "Y'know. My namesake,"

"Why isn't it on the wall?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura shrugged. "I just never put it up."

"It's nice," Sasuke said, and he hung it on an empty hook directly above her bed.

The painting was beautiful, and the bright pink of the cherry blossom petals accentuated the pale pink of the carpet and walls. The entire room looked brighter now.

"Cherry blossoms," Sasuke said, just loud enough for Sakura to hear, "are a nice namesake to have."

"_That's what the word 'sakura' means in English, y'know."_

Naruto's words came back to him now. Back then, he hadn't cared what her name, or anyone else's, meant. Why was he now?

A silence filled the room as Sasuke pondered the meaning of his words. Sakura was blushing, and her heart was beating fast. _"Sasuke's so sweet when he wants to be…"_

"Sakura! Sasuke! Dinnertime!" Sakura's mother called from the kitchen.

Sasuke turned and walked down the stairs, and Sakura followed him. A chair had been pulled up to the round four-person table next to Sakura's seat, and Sasuke sat there, while Sakura's mother sat on her other side.

"Dad's home," Sakura's mother said quietly with a faint smile, and suddenly the front door opened, revealing a man of medium build wearing a black suit that contrasted with his white hair.

"Sakura, Suzume," he greeted Sakura and her mother with kisses on the cheek, and paused when he saw Sasuke.

"Dad, this is Sasuke Uchiha," Sakura smiled. "My partner in a History project,"

Sakura's father looked at her mother, who tilted her head in Sasuke's direction.

"Good afternoon, Sasuke," Sakura's father said, raising his hand. "I'm Mr. Haruno; Sakura's father."

Sasuke shook his hand, noticing how much more formal her father was than her mother. It reminded him of his parents, in a way…

"Now let's EAT!" Sakura's mother said unexpectedly. "I can't be the only one starving, right?"

"No way!" Sakura laughed as she picked up a fork.

"No talking with food in your mouth," Sakura's father said through a mouthful of chicken.

Sasuke chuckled. What a family.

* * *

After dinner, Sasuke and Sakura were back upstairs, and their project on Cleopatra was halfway done. Sakura wrote the princess' name across the top of the cartridge paper in glitter glue, and Sasuke sat on the bed, cutting out the words 'Princess of the Nile' in another colour.

"Sorry if my parents were being weird," Sakura said, and Sasuke turned to her.

"They weren't," he said. "In a way, it was reminiscent of what it would be like if my parents were alive…"

Damn. Why was he saying things like this to her?

But it had bothered him a bit. The way Sakura's mother had instantly known when her father would be home. Her father's gentle kisses on the cheek; addressing her mother by her first name. The conversations over dinner.

While every day, Sasuke ate in silence—completely alone.

"Sasuke…" Sakura dropped the glitter glue and moved over to him. "You can come over anytime you want, okay?"

"Hn," he said, wishing he never brought anything up.

"And you're not alone," she continued, as if reading his mind. "You have your friends, like Naruto and the others… and me."

She rested her head on his shoulder and curled up next to him. Not once did he try to move her.

* * *

And that's Chapter 14! The song used was 'Suddenly I See' by KT Tunstall.  
So we have some actual fluff here, and Sasuke actually seems to be warming up to Sakura! –gasp!- So does this mean we've actually seen the last of those fangirls? Not by a long shot! Review for the next chapter; still sending replies!


	15. Phone Calls

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that.  
**_Hola everyone! I'm -finally- here again, with both good and bad news. But good news first, of course: The new chapter is here! D So enjoy the read; and __be sure to read the A/N at the end__._

_And now, Chapter 15!_

_**(.s.)**_  
And you know I can't stand  
How the girls all wanna be getting all up in my place!  
So get off of my man and don't try to mess with me  
Cause this love is serious, we're seriously onto something...  
_**(.s.)**_

Immediately after Sasuke left, taking the project with him, Sakura called Ino and the others as promised.

"What happened, what happened?" Ino choroused. "The suspense is killing me!"

"Nothing out of the ordinary," Sakura reported. "While having dinner, I think Sasuke was having bad memories—"

"Tch," Tenten scoffed. "What bad memories could he possibly have?"

Sakura remembered that Naruto and herself were the only ones who knew about Sasuke's tragic past. "Who knows? Anyway, to make him feel better, I leaned on his shoulder—"

"To 'make him feel better'?" Ino laughed. "Riiight. Admit it, you just wanted to know how those shoulders felt."

"I-Ino," Hinata stammered. "L-Let Sakura finish."

"Thanks, Hinata," Sakura said. "Anyway, other than that, it was really a normal day."

"You should've told us he was going to your house earlier!" Ino chastised. "We would've planned something; like you coming out in lingerie! Then no way would it have been a normal day—"

"**INO**!!" Tenten screamed.

"Sorry," the blonde apologized, "I guess I'm still hyped from that Biology class…"

All of them shivered at the memory.

"Heh, sorry for bringing it up," Ino said. "Change of subject: I can't find my cell phone!"

"Ino, knowing you, it's probably somewhere really obvious. Like under your bed," Tenten said.

"No no, I've looked everywhere, and I really can't find it!"

Hinata piped up. "I-I'll come over tomorrow and h-help you look if you want,"

"Thanks Hinata, that'd be great," Ino replied.

"Anyway, I have more homework to do," Sakura said. "Gotta go."

"I should too," Tenten said. "Math's a bitch."

"You actually do Math homework?" Ino laughed. "It's a waste of time. I'm gonna go meet Shikamaru."

"A-And I'm meeting N-Naruto," Hinata said, and Sakura smiled, knowing she was blushing.

"G'bye all," the pink-haired girl said as she hung up the phone. But seconds after she hung up, the phone rang again.

"Hello, can I speak to Sakura Haruno?" the voice on the other line said. "Speaking," Sakura replied.

"Well listen forehead girl, and listen good," the voice instantly became menacing. "I know you're still messing around with Sasuke. If you don't get your little she-wolf claws out of him right this second—"

"Who is this? Ami?" Sakura asked.

"Aw, you remembered me. I'm touched."

"Well listen psycho bitch, and listen good," Sakura repeated an edited version of Ami's words. "I like Sasuke, and Sasuke likes me, so this is none of your business. I don't know how you got my number, but just get the hell out of my life." With that, Sakura slammed down the phone.

They were brave words, but Sakura wasn't feeling very brave as her hand shuddered on the phone's receiver. She had said something she thought Ino or Tenten would say. She was scared. Even Hinata would have been braver than she was.

… well, maybe not Hinata.

Slowly, she took her hand off the receiver, and exhaled. She was going to be brave, and she was going to do this by herself. What could Ami possibly do?

* * *

"… that whore," Ami said as she heard Sakura hang up. "Her friends have obviously been giving lessons."

"So what're we gonna do now, Ami?" one of the other fangirls asked. "We can't let her have our Sasuke!"

"Of course not," Ami rolled her eyes. She tried to brainstorm. Sakura Haruno, though she seemed a little tougher, was still Sakura Haruno. Afraid, whiny, and insignificant. There was a barrage of things that could hurt her… then, suddenly, Ami had a plan.

The key weapon was in her hand—the stolen cell phone of Ino Yamanaka.

"Ami, what did you think of?" one of the girls asked as she noticed Ami's evil sneer.

Ami didn't reply as she went through the datebook on the Ino's cell—seeing numerous things such as 'Doctor's appointment', 'Shopping!' and 'Date with Shikamaru'.

Then she saw exactly what she needed.

"This plan," she sneered, "is perfect."

"What plan, what plan?" her followers huddled around her.

Ami flipped her purple hair, and held up Ino's cell phone to a date next week. It said 'Shika and I going to a rave with Sasuke and Sakura'.

* * *

Chapter 15 down! The song was 'Serious' by Gwen Stefani. (Told you we'd see more of her!)

The bad news is that, as you've probably noticed, updates are few and far between. This is because I'm in 5th form now, CXC is coming up, and my parents have enrolled me in hundreds of extra classes. (For my non-Caribbean readers, think of CXC like the SATs, only for -all- subjects instead of just Math and English, and not multiple choice. Sound hard? Yes, it is.)

However, I'm **NOT **giving up the story; I could never just stop in the middle like that. (Besides, I heart this story and all my readers and reviewers too much.) But, sadly, this means that I'm going to have to give up something else I like to do... review replies. I just don't have the time to send replies to everyone anymore, I'm so sorry. I will, however, send replies to people who specifically say they want a reply, or who ask questions. (And lol, no, "UPDATE SOON!" does not count as a question; though I am grateful for each and every review I get.)

Review for the next chapter; say whether or not you need a reply!


	16. Chemistry Class

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that.  
**_OMG EVERYONE HI!! First of all, it's been sooo long, and I'm –finally- updating! Sadly, though, this chapter's not very long, but it was really, really difficult. Now that it's over, things should move an eensy weensy bit faster… now, to the story!_

_**(.s.)  
**_I'm so far from where I need to be,  
I've given up on faith; on everything,  
All I wanted…  
All I needed…  
Was some peace!!  
_**(.s.)**_

The next morning, Naruto proudly stepped through the school gates with a huge grin on his face. The grin widened even more when he saw Shikamaru, Neji and Sasuke lined up by their lockers.

"Naruto," Neji said. "What do you look so riled up for?"

Naruto snickered as if he'd been waiting forever for someone to ask him that. "I'm EARLY FOR SCHOOL!" he said exuberantly. "And you can't mark me late!" he pointed an accusing finger at Shikamaru, the attendance/hall monitor.

"Congratulations," Sasuke sneered. "You came a full two minutes before the bell…"

"BELIEVE IT!!" Naruto yelled.

"… and forgot your bag."

Naruto blinked innocently as he noticed there was nothing on his shoulders.

"Nooo!" he looked like he was about to cry. "I had my ramen early this morning and everything!"

"Well, that sounds troublesome," Shikamaru said. "But right now, I'm more interested in what happened yesterday when Sasuke went to Sakura's house."

"Oh yeah!" Naruto's attention quickly switched to Sasuke. "You bastard! What did you do!?"

"We did a project," Sasuke said. "Nothing else."

Neji and Shikamaru looked skeptic, but said nothing. Naruto did the opposite. "This is hurting her! Just tell her the truth already!"

"What she doesn't know can't hurt her," Sasuke said as he leaned off of the locker, glaring at Naruto. Then he changed the subject. "What's today's first class, anyway?"

Neji spoke up; he knew the timetable by heart. "Shikamaru and I have Spanish. You and Naruto have Chem."

Sasuke raised his eyebrows, and then exhaled. "Finally."

* * *

Opening the door to the Chemistry lab, Sasuke wasn't sure what to expect. All of the windows were shut tightly, and the room was much darker than it had been before.

"_The teacher's not in here," _Sasuke noted.

Naruto's eyes brightened. "Hinata and Sakura are in this class!" he ran over to them.

The way the Chemistry lab was set up, there were various tables to fit four people; as in Bio. Sakura and Hinata had been sitting on opposite ends of the table talking, and now Sasuke and Naruto sat between them.

"Hey," Sakura smiled at Sasuke as he sat next to her.

"Hey," he repeated, just to be polite. "Is the teacher here yet?"

"Nope," Sakura said. "He's a little late—"

At that moment; someone stepped out of the Prep room adjacent to the lab.

He was very tall, with a long face and greasy black hair. His skin was a sickly sort of grey; and the bags under his eyes only added to his malnourished look. His eyes themselves were yellow as he scanned the class; moving from student to student as they looked cowardly back at him.

They stopped on Sasuke, and he gave a twisted smile.

"Good morning class," the voice was a hiss that made Hinata cling to Naruto's hand underneath the table. He held hers protectively. "I am Orochimaru."

Sakura looked like she was shaking just from hearing him say his name; but Sasuke never felt afraid at all. The man's eyes were still trained on his, and he was staring back with equal force.

"I know all your names from the files in the student registry," he continued, "so let's get started. What to do you understand from the word 'Chemistry', Hinata?"

Hinata's eyes were frantic, and Naruto was glaring daggers at Orochimaru as he held her hand harder.

"C-Chemistry is… Chemistry is t-the s-study of the particles t-th-that m-make up things," she stammered.

"Not quite," Orochimaru leered at her, and Naruto was close to lunging at him when he began to walk towards his table.

"Chemistry is the science that deals with the composition of substances and various forms of matter," he said slowly as he raised two beakers filled with liquid. "We'll also be studying different chemicals. For example, if these two chemicals were to mix, I could blow this place sky high."

The students held their breaths as he held the beakers up, and relaxed as he put them on the table. "But I won't. We wouldn't want that, now would we… Sasuke."

At the sound of this name, the raven-haired boy narrowed his eyes at Orochimaru. "What do you want?"

"That," Orochimaru's hiss continued, "is no way to address your master."

"You mean teacher," Sakura defended Sasuke, speaking for the first time since Orochimaru's entrance.

"Yes. Teacher," Orochimaru's mouth moved into a half-smile as he looked at Sakura. "Yes, for the time being, you are right."

"… _for the time being?" _Sakura looked worriedly at Sasuke; who had tensed as he watched the new teacher.

Orochimaru was weird, that was for sure. But he expelled something; something that made him seem like he was above everyone else…

Orochimaru gave a malicious-sounding chuckle as he looked at Sasuke. _"I knew it,"_ he said in his mind. _"This boy is the one I've waited for."_

Once he made that realization, he gave homework and released the class.

* * *

"T-Thank goodness we were let out early—t-that man scares me to death!" Hinata shivered, and Naruto put his arm around her.

As she looked at them, Sakura could hardly blame Hinata for being so petrified—she was afraid of the teacher herself.

She turned to Sasuke, and he seemed to be thinking so hard about something that he didn't look back at her. And then Orochimaru's words rang in her head.

"_Yes. Teacher… Yes, for the time being, you are right…"_

"Sasuke?" she said his name worriedly, and when he didn't answer, she gently tugged on his shirt.

"Hn?" he said, seemingly annoyed until he saw her face.

"Are you alright?" she said with genuine concern.

"I'm fine," the innocent look in her eyes brought him out of his reverie. "What do you want?"

Sakura smiled. "Do you want to go get something to eat after school?"

"Sure," Sasuke said, and realized a second too late that he sounded happy about it. Why did she have to smile like that?

She was still smiling as she looked at him. "Well, see you later!" she took a now-calm Hinata's hand, and the two girls headed to their next class.

Naruto didn't look at Sasuke. "Orochimaru needs to die," he clenched his fist. "I'll never forgive him for picking on Hinata and looking at her like that."

"Hn," Sasuke said.

"And you just made another date with Sakura, didn't you?"

"Hn," Sasuke said again.

"You're a bastard, you know that?"

"Yeah," Sasuke said. "And no one's going to stop me."

* * *

OMG CHAPTER DOWN! The song was 'Hole' by Kelly Clarkson. (In reviews, some people had left song requests. Thank you, and I'll definitely try to put them in if I can.)

Okay, okay, I know it's been forever since an update, but CXC is just disgusting. People were asking if I'm taking them now: no, it's actually not until April/May/June. (No date finalized.) But remember, it's ALL your subjects, the books are huge, and there are SBAs (School Based Assesments) which contribute to the CXC grade. And yes, it is very important that I pass these exams, because they're really expensive, and you need them to get a job, and bla. (It seems strange to be thinking of jobs when I'm only 15, but that's the way it is here.)

Anyway, now that the long, boring CXC paragraph is over (lol) I'm going to spill something to you guys:

A **major** plot twist is coming.

I'm being serious, and I'm doing my best to make it good, so don't give up on me! Even with work, I try. –smile-

Review for the next chapter, plot twist and all!


	17. Backfiring And Broken Hearts

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that.  
**_Hey everyone! It's me again—really quickly, huh? It's because this Chapter just came naturally to me; seeing as it's been in my mind since I started the story. –smile-_

_Well, here's the long chapter to make up for the updates I've missed—and it has the crazy plot twist! Enjoy!_

_**(.s.)  
**_You chose to surrender  
the best thing that's happened to you.  
What were you missing?  
Were you just trippin'?  
Running away from your fear  
was the best you could do…  
You made this decision…  
You chose our division.  
_**(.s.)**_

Sasuke tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for Asuma to come and teach the last class—English. He hadn't arrived yet, and it was almost 10 minutes into the class. Other students were running around and gossiping; but Sasuke found himself above such infantile things, and remained in his seat, thinking.

His mind kept straying to the Chemistry class that morning—for some reason he couldn't help but remember it. And when he wasn't thinking of that, he was imagining his date with Sakura…

"_Whatever,"_ he told himself when she came to mind. He needed something to do.

His eyes scanned the room for someone to talk to, and then he remembered that this was one of the few classes he had with Hinata Hyuuga. She was really shy and introverted to anyone other than Naruto and the other girls; but she would have to suffice.

"Hn," Sasuke said as he took the seat next to her.

Hinata looked extremely shocked as she turned to face him. "H-Hi."

There was an awkward silence. Hinata twiddled with her fingers, and Sasuke, for once, spoke first. "So… what's up?"

"N-Nothing, really," Hinata shook her head. "H-How about you?"

"Nothing," Sasuke repeated.

Hinata smiled. "Thank you f-for being so nice to S-Sakura," she said. "S-She was really excited when y-you said yes."

"I see," Sasuke said. He chastised himself for thinking that he could avoid thoughts of Sakura by talking to one of her friends. Now he wasn't only _thinking _about her, he was _talking_ about her. "So. This date isn't going to end up being another 'Quadruple Date'?"

Hinata shook her head. "T-Tenten and I c-convinced Ino not to suggest it. T-Tenten said you needed—" she made air quotes with her fingers— "'alone time'."

WHAT!?

Sasuke struggled to keep himself from visibly twitching, but Hinata didn't notice and continued.

"I-Ino is probably g-going to be giving S-Sakura makeup to p-put on today though; so she might be a-a little late."

"Sure," Sasuke said, not even bothering to wonder why makeup was so big an issue that Sakura had to be late. He would never understand the female mind.

Suddenly, Kurenai walked through the door of their classroom. "Is this Asuma's English class?" she asked.

"Yes," the class answered, and Kurenai nodded. "He's not here today, due to an important staff meeting that has been called. You're all free to go for the day."

Students whooped and cheered as they grabbed their things and left the classroom. "I-I guess we will see each other later," Hinata said, and Sasuke nodded curtly as she left before him.

As soon as he gathered his books and stepped into the corridor, though, he heard a familiar voice yell "Sasuke!"

He turned to see Naruto a few feet away from him, and sighed. Absently wondering if Hinata had seen him, he turned to see her disappearing form far away in the opposite direction. Oh well. She'd see him later, anyway.

"Sasuke, I know you can hear me!"

Sasuke sighed. "Naruto, could you stop shouting for half a second?"

"No!" the blond yelled, stomping toward him angrily. Neji and Shikamaru were behind him, not even attempting to calm him down.

Sasuke wiped his hand over his forehead; he was in no mood for this. "What's got you so riled up?"

"You!" Naruto's yelling continued. "Your 'plan' with Sakura is getting in too deep now!"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. This was the absolute last thing he wanted to talk about.

"Drop it," he said coldly.

"I can't, because even though the ramen tastes good, I know it's wrong!" Naruto shook his head vehemently.

"Tenten won't stop telling me about how happy Sakura is," Neji spoke.

"Ino does the same thing," Shikamaru said, "and it's a drag. Did you know she's liked you since _elementary school_?"

"Didn't know, didn't care," Sasuke said as he sidestepped Naruto and walked quickly to the school gates.

Naruto was still yelling as he kept up with him, Shikamaru and Neji close behind. "You bastard, you've just gotta—" And then his voice cut off.

Sasuke was impatient. "Idiot, we're at the gates. I'm supposed to meet her here. Leave."

Naruto spoke more softly this time. "You said you _didn't_ care,"

Sasuke's impatience grew. "Yes, because I didn't."

Shikamaru and Neji got the gist of what he was saying. "You _didn't_," Shikamaru said, "but now you _do_?"

Sasuke clenched his fists; he could feel his blood boiling.

Naruto was snickering now. "Your plan totally backfired—you _like her_!"

Uchiha plans never backfire. "All of you," Sasuke warned, "just get out of here."

"Sasuke," Neji said, "there's really nothing wrong."

Naruto nodded. "Seriously, nothing! We all have girlfriends."

"I **don't** like her!" Sasuke's shout was so unexpected it made Naruto jump back. "It was a fricking plan, and it still is a fricking plan! How could you expect me to _like_ someone as _ordinary_ and _annoying_ as Sakura!" he spat her name as if it were a curse word.

Naruto's eyes were wide. "Sasuke—"

"Just stop talking, Naruto!" Sasuke's anger was coming out fast, and it felt good to finally let it go. "Sakura isn't special to me! She's just here to make my fangirls stay away! I never felt—and will never feel anything for her! Do you understand that!?"

"No, I don't…"

Sasuke wheeled around, and saw that it was not Naruto who had said that at all.

It was Sakura, with Ino, Tenten and Hinata right behind her. Sakura, whose expression was frozen, whose hands were shaking, and who had traces of mascara running down her face with her tears. "I don't understand, but you can't make it any clearer, Sasuke…"

Sasuke felt a pang of remorse as he remembered everything he said.

His thoughts were spinning as his eyes widened; she looked so broken that he felt the sudden need to hold her. _"Oh no,"_ his thoughts ran. _"She heard everything."_

Sasuke took a step toward her, and she took a step back. "Sakura—"

Her whole body shook as she sobbed, and then she ran away.

"SAKURA!" Ino screamed as she ran after her, Tenten close behind. Hinata cast a reproachful look at Sasuke, and then ran after the three of them.

Naruto, Neji and Shikamaru all looked at Sasuke, none of them saying a word.

Sasuke unclenched his fists, and felt like beating his head against a brick. He was a bastard; that was for sure. But he knew in that moment that he was probably the biggest one he'd ever known.

* * *

Another Chapter finished. The song used was 'Division' by Aly & AJ.

Well, the secret's out, and in the worst possible way… Sakura runs away in tears; and Sasuke is feeling like the dumbest man on Earth. His plan is now officially over; and he's had to pay the highest price.

What'll happen next? Would you believe me if I said 'another plot twist'? Yes? No? Review for the next Chapter, and see for yourselves.


	18. Loneliness And Capability

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that.  
**_Hello again everyone. Yeah, an update is here, finally._

_Sorry for the lack of enthusiasm, but I actually have good reasons for taking so long this time. The first, of course, is that exams have started. The second is… well, my laptop got stolen. My sexy, brand-new laptop was stolen out of my __room__. And it had the next Chapter on it. Which means that I had to do it all over._

_And before I start the story, let me say something here. Why is it that the people who ALWAYS COMPLAIN about stories are the ones who DON'T HAVE ANY? That's so grossly ironic. Maybe after –certain reviewers- write their –own- stories; they'll see it's not that easy._

_And a few tips to some reviewers who just have nothing to do with their time but complain:  
1. You CAN take Chem and Bio at the same time. I'm doing that right now. And most of my friends take Chem, Bio __and__ Physics. So please, check the facts before you complain.  
2. How can you say I'm not thinking the story through? Do __you__ know what's going to happen next? No, you don't. Well guess what? I do. And I know everything that's supposed to happen as well. So please, just stop reviewing with that kind of crap as if you can read my mind._

_And now I'm ready to finally start the story for the reviewers who support. These are the guys I love._

**_(.s.)  
_**I hope you know, I hope you know...  
That this has nothing to do with you  
It's personal, myself and I...  
We got some straightenin' out to do  
And I'm gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket  
But I've got to get a move on with my life.  
It's time to be a big girl now...  
And big girls don't cry.  
**_(.s.)_**

"Holyyy crap crap crap crap crap…"

Sasuke was extremely pissed as he sat on a desk in a classroom, and Naruto was just making his mood worse by pacing up and down yelling 'Holy crap'. Naji and Shikamaru had left before, sensing the awkwardness of the situation, but as usual Naruto was too thick-headed to see that Sasuke wanted to be alone.

"She was just… crying! Like… really crying! Her makeup got messed up and everything! And she was SHAKING! And Hinata and Ino and Tenten ran after her—holy crap! I KNEW it would end like this, believe it! And you wouldn't listen to me, and now you're in some deep shit!"

"Naruto," Sasuke glared at his friend with eyes like daggers, "shut the hell up."

"But Saaasukeee," Naruto crossed his arms and jumped from leg to leg dramatically. "She heard all of it! And she knows about the plan and everything!"

"Naruto, shut up," Sasuke said, trying to drown out his friend.

"How can you be so cold about it!?" Naruto yelled. "You liked her, didn't you?!"

Sasuke didn't say anything. "I knew it," Naruto said. "You liked her." It didn't sound as annoying as it did the first time, it just sounded like a statement.

And that, Sasuke realized, was because it _was_ a statement. He did like her. Sasuke liked Sakura. Like the Earth was round and the sky was blue, Sasuke liked Sakura.

Was it the way she'd laughed on the swingset, or the way she hugged him at the theme park? Maybe it was when she came to his house; when his face turned red. He didn't know when it started, but he did like her. Not as far as _love_, but he _did_ like her—enough to look at her differently from other girls, and appreciate when she was around.

But she wouldn't be around anymore.

And he was not happy with that.

"You like her," Naruto said again, this time expecting a response.

Sasuke gave one. "Hn."

"Then you're gonna have to go on hands and knees to get her back."

Sasuke looked up at Naruto seriously. "What do I have to do?"

Naruto grinned, and it was one of those moments where you could see why these two seemingly opposite people could be best friends. "Beg."

* * *

Unbeknownst to the two boys, someone was outside the door of the classroom listening to their every word. The 'someone' was a girl with long, purple hair, and she was not happy. Sasuke had just broken up with that idiot Sakura moments ago, and know he says he LIKES her? 

Her plan would have to be executed as soon as possible. Sakura Haruno needed to be taught a lesson.

* * *

Half an hour later, Sakura threw her bag on the floor and fell onto her bed. She dug her face into her pillow, drying the tears off of her face with it. It was a stroke of luck that her father was at work and her mother was shopping; they definitely would have been worried if they saw her like this. 

She was so stupid, and so naïve. How could she have thought that Sasuke Uchiha—THE Sasuke Uchiha—would like her? That was just impossible… and yet it had seemed so possible at the time. The way he had shared the secret of his tragic past with her, the dates, the ferris wheel, standing in the rain…

She couldn't believe it was all an act.

She couldn't, but she knew know that it was.

Waterfalls of tears fell from her eyes as Sasuke's words echoed in her head, and for a minute she wished she had accepted Ino's offer to walk her home. But that would mean that she couldn't handle this; that she was weak. And she didn't want that to be true.

So what if Sasuke thought she was 'ordinary' and 'annoying'? Who gave a damn if Sasuke had just turned out to be a jerk who had totally used her? She didn't. Not anymore.

She wiped the final tears from her eyes and clenched her fists. She was going to be totally strong about this! She could handle it; nullify the pain herself. She didn't need him. She didn't need him at all.

And then she spotted something sticking out of one of the pockets of her uniforms in the closet: the invitation Ino gave her to that rave. Huhn, it was tomorrow… She suddenly remembered something Ino had said:

"_But bring Sasuke with you. Raves aren't the kind of place a girl would want to be alone…"_

Sakura put the invitation on her dresser and relaxed on her bed. She'd show Sasuke, and Ino, and everyone that she was capable of doing something herself. She was going alone.

* * *

Okay, so here we are, at the end of another Chapter—well, this one's kinda like a base. I had to write it all today so that you guys could have SOMEthing to read. XD The song used was 'Big Girls Don't Cry' by Fergie. (It was used for Sakura's situation, obviously.)

But yeah, I'm having exams now, so I won't be updating til the Christmas holidays, most likely. I'm sure you guys will think the next Chapter is crazy, so please review for it, if you have good things to say.


	19. Helping Rivals

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that.  
**_Hi, everybody… Christmas holidays are here, and I'm back with an update. )_

_I'm pretty sure everyone's been really anxious this week to find out what'll happen to Sakura (and lol, I've been dying to write it.) But I just –had- to put a chapter inbetween—because I'm sure you guys want to know what happens to Sasuke. It is necessary, though, so that you can know this happens before Sakura –SPOILER- and what makes him –SPOILER- when he –SPOILER- and says –SPOILER-._

_Of course, judging by the amount of things that are going to happen because of this, you would see that it's necessary. And also, I like Lee. XD So now, we begin!_

_**(.s.)  
**_Has anybody ever felt this way,  
Has anybody been ripped apart,  
Anybody give everything to the one they love?  
Am I the only one left behind,  
Am I the only one who hates goodbyes,  
God I know this can't go on forever…_**  
(.s.)**_

The next day, Sasuke was driving himself crazy trying to speak to Sakura—she was avoiding him in every way possible, including switching seats with someone on the other side of the room in every class they had together, and ducking around the nearest corner whenever they happened to cross paths.

Ino and Tenten were giving him the brush-off as well, and even Hinata shied away from him. He couldn't take two steps without people gossiping about the situation.

"Hey, that girl Sakura Haruno dumped Sasuke Uchiha."

"You can't be serious—Sasuke definitely must have dumped her."

"I hear Sasuke was only dating her so that the other girls would back off."

"Well why else would a hot guy like him date _Sakura_?"

"Pfft. Sakura is easy. A nerd like her would date anyone."

"I bet Sasuke was paying her for her 'services'."

The group laughed loudly, and someone whispered "Shh, he's coming!" as Sasuke passed, not even bothering to spare them a glance.

As soon as they thought he was out of earshot, they started talking again.

* * *

After school, Sasuke decided to go around to the P.E. field. He figured the tall grass and cool breeze would clear his head.

"Sasuke Uchiha?"

"Hn?" he automatically replied to the unfamiliar voice, and turned to see Rock Lee standing beside him in his custom-made spandex uniform. Great. Lee was just the person he needed to clear his head.

Not.

"What is it?" Sasuke asked, a bit too coldly.

Lee walked in front of Sasuke, and sat on the bench the students usually rested their bags on. "I am happy to find you alone, because I wish to discuss a topic which I am sure you will not find entirely pleasing."

Sasuke raised his eyebrow. Who talked like that? This guy was so weird.

"I want to talk about Sakura Haruno," Lee clarified, his voice steady.

"Right," Sasuke said sarcastically. "Well, that's over, so you have nothing to worry about. She's not even speaking to me."

"Are you content with that?"

"No," Sasuke replied before he could stop himself.

"I know," Lee said, looking down, "and I can tell she is not, either."

Sasuke looked at Lee, who had a solemn look on his face. This was really the only time Sasuke had ever seen him looking so serious.

"You know I love her, right?"

Sasuke nodded, Lee made that much totally obvious.

"I love Sakura Haruno more than anything else in the world!" Lee's voice sounded more positive now. "I'd walk to the ends of the earth for her! She is my cherry blossom, the only person who youthfully lights up my day with a brilliant smile to outshine a thousand suns!"

Lee's voice got more and more animated as he described all of Sakura's merits, and Sasuke realized something: he really did like her. It was so obvious on his face and in the tone of his voice.

"… and I would do anything—_anything_—to have her," Lee said quietly. "But she does not want me. She does not see me as the necessity the way I see her. She wants… you."

Sasuke looked at the grass. "Not anymore."

"Even now, I can see the glances she makes so stealthily. I saw her when she—cried—after you told her what you were really doing," Lee stumbled over the word 'cry'. "It was the most painful thing I've ever seen."

Sasuke was glaring at the ground now… he also remembered Sakura's crying face.

"She doesn't love me," Lee whispered. "My love is completely unrequited… I know that. She loves you. She has always loved you."

The jealousy in his voice was plain.

"I would not doubt for a second," Lee whispered, "that she loves you even now."

"Why are you telling me this?" Sasuke demanded.

"Because I know you love her, as well—don't attempt to deny it," Lee said, when he saw Sasuke open his mouth.

Sasuke spoke anyway. "So why would you help me, if I'm your rival?"

"Because it would make her happy," Lee answered immediately. "As I said before, I live for her smile."

This was when Sasuke realized this was not a game.

He'd played with someone's heart without thinking of the scars he would leave. In breaking Sakura's heart, he'd also broken the heart of someone who had loved her… someone who probably deserved her a lot more than he did.

"Lee," Sasuke said, knowing what he had to do now, "I have to apologize."

"To her, not to me," Lee said.

Sasuke looked at Lee intently. "I feel that way about her," Sasuke admitted, unable to say the words, "and I'm going to try to make her happy."

"Good," Lee said. "That's all I wanted."

"But there is a girl somewhere that's right for you."

Lee glanced up at Sasuke, and for a minute Sasuke felt disgraceful. He'd misread Lee the same way he'd misread Sakura—they were both people, with emotions. They were both people he had hurt.

"And when you find her," Sasuke said, "she's going to be the luckiest girl alive."

Lee smiled at Sasuke—it was a sad sort of smile. And then he grinned. "I sincerely hope so—I'll make her happy in every youthful way, I swear it."

Lee got up, and Sasuke shook his hand. This was the beginning of a new friendship.

* * *

Chapter down! The song was 'Anybody' by Jesse McCartney. (The first of a few song requests that I received. I'll try to use all of them, if they fit.) And to the person who requested it, thanks, I'd never heard of it, and now I really like it!

So now, Lee has shared his feelings with Sasuke, who now has a new outlook on things between himself and Sakura. But does Sakura know any of this? No. And she's going to that rave!

As is extremely obvious, I'm going to pull a plot twist here. : ) And you'll all find out in the next chapter… AFTER you review. –smile smile smile- I need at least thirty reviews before I post it!


	20. Ten And After

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )  
**_Hello everyone! I hope you all had great celebrations, whether it be Christmas, Hannukah or anything else for the various religions. I'm back, and proud to say I received 32 reviews for the last chapter! Yaaay, you guys are wonderful! And this is the 20th Chapter... I can't believe it! -smile-_

_Another cause for celebration that I didn't realize last chapter: this story's passed the 500-review barrier. Holy crap. XD Thank you for all the support, and brace yourselves— here's the chapter everyone's been waiting for!_

_**(.s.)  
**_Well, she's not bleeding on the ballroom floor  
Just for the attention.  
Cause that's just ridiculously odd  
Well, she sure is gonna get it  
Here's the setting:  
Fashion magazines line the walls now  
The walls line the bullet holes..._**  
(.s.)**_

It was exactly ten o' clock that night.

"_Can I really do this?"_ Sakura blinked as she looked at her reflection in the full-length mirror at her house.

The crimson red tube top and black miniskirt she had on were both presents from her friends that she had found in the back of her closet. She'd spent the entire night flat-ironing her pink hair, and had cut the ends neatly so that it was just above her shoulders. The black, open-toed shoes she was wearing set off the outfit very well.

She looked _hot_. Sexy, even. And she loved it.

"_**Show Sasuke what he's missing, CHA!"**_ Inner Sakura spoke up for the first time in a while.

She thanked her lucky stars that her parents had gone to one of her father's office parties and would be coming home late.

"_Maybe I should write a note,"_ she thought, but then heard a car horn outside—the taxi she had called to take her to the Rave.

"_Forget the note," _she thought. _"There's just no way I'm going to stay home and cry tonight." _She stepped out the door full of determination.

If she had looked back she would have noticed that she forgot her purse, which contained her money and her cell phone…

* * *

It was exactly fifteen minutes past ten that night.

Sasuke was at his house, calling Sakura's cell phone again and again, but it just kept ringing without an answer. He was becoming frustrated when suddenly Sakura's number popped up on the screen of his Caller ID.

"Sakura?" he said as he answered it quickly.

"No Sasuke, it's Sakura's mother," her voice sounded extremely worried. "I saw Sakura's phone ringing, and I just answered it. Is she with you?"

"She's not," Sasuke said. Clearly, Sakura had not told her mother about their falling out.

Her mother's voice was frantic now. "But where could she be?"

"She's not at home?" Sasuke questioned.

"Her father and I went to a party, but decided to come home early so that she wouldn't be alone for so long—and now she's not here!"

"I'm sure she's fine," Sasuke interrupted. "I'll try to find her."

"Thank you so much," her mother said as she hung up.

* * *

It was exactly twenty minutes past ten that night.

Thinking rapidly, Sasuke thought that of all of Sakura's friends, Ino was the one who would best know where she was.

Not having her number (who would've known he would need it?) Sasuke called Shikamaru.

"Such a drag…" the other boy's voice muttered as he answered his phone. "Hello?"

"It's Sasuke." The Uchiha replied instantly. "Is Ino near you?"

"Yeah. I'm at her house, working on the History thing."

"Ask her if she knows where Sakura is."

Sasuke heard Shikamaru's voice say 'Ino, Sasuke wants to know where Sakura is', and Ino yell in the background 'Give me that!' before she wrestled with Shikamaru. Her voice was on the phone next.

"So it's _you_," she made no effort to hide her disgust. "What, after breaking my best friend's heart, you wanna do more damage?"

Sasuke was patient with her—he knew she had every right to be angry. "Sakura is missing."

"What?" he could tell she was shocked, and he repeated everything her mother had said.

"Holy crap," Ino said. "I don't know where she could be—I figured she'd just go home and call it a night. Shikamaru and I have been here all day trying to finish the project, and it's after ten—"

He heard Ino say a swear word.

"What?" he said again.

"A few weeks ago, I tried to get Sakura to come to a Rave with Shikamaru and I," Ino recalled, and her voice, for the first time, was trembling. "Y-You were still going out with her at the time, and I told her not to go without you, so—"

Sasuke deadpanned. "Where is the Rave?"

"Downtown at a place called Cryptic Hollow," Ino said hurriedly, "but—"

Sasuke had already hung up.

* * *

It was exactly forty-five minutes past ten that night.

Sakura had her hands covering her ears in a desperate attempt to drown out the pulsing music. The Rave was in full swing; it was more crowded than anything she had ever seen. The dance floor was overflowing with people grinding their bodies together in time with the banging music, and there was barely any room for her to breathe.

Looking around, Sakura didn't see Ino or Shikamaru anywhere—it was a wonder she was able to see anything, as it was pitch black except for some strobe lights. She tried to make it to the drinks table, where she could at least get some water.

As soon as she reached out to touch her glass, an unfamiliar voice whispered in her ear "Hey there hot stuff,"

She whipped around to see a man with black hair and red streaks. He was wearing a tight black sleeveless shirt and matching pants, with a red jacket tied around his waist. Tattoos of snakes and some insignia Sakura didn't recognize were all over his arms.

"Hey," she said, taking an involuntary step back.

The man stepped closer to her and put his hand on her shoulder, sliding it down slowly. "You don't seem to be having much fun tonight."

"I-I'm fine," Sakura inisisted, her heart racing, but not in a good way at all. "If you'll excuse me," she said as she tried to turn around, but he grabbed her arm and leered.

"I'm not excusing you."

Sakura shivered as she watched him look at her, and then switched her focus to the dance floor. If she screamed, would anyone hear her over the music? Of course not, she had to strain to hear what this guy was saying to her—

"Let me get you something to drink," he said, taking something off of the drinks counter.

"_Water?"_ Sakura thought as she took a glass of a clear liquid from him.

The minute she swallowed it, she knew it was anything but water.

* * *

It was exactly fifty-nine minutes past ten that night.

Sakura's vision instantly went hazy, and the next thing she knew she was being dragged into a corner.

"Somebody help me…" she was trying to scream, but all that came out was a whisper.

"_Pull away…"_ she tried to think, but her head hurt too badly. _"I have to get out of here… he's hurting me, someone, anyone…"_

"**WHAT THE ****FUCK**** DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?"**

She heard the sound of a punch connecting with someone's head, and she saw a blurred image of her assailant crashing into the drinks table. The sound of the bottles crashing to the floor seemed to echo as she was lifted into someone's arms.

"Listen to me," Sasuke's voice was more acidic than she had ever heard it, "and listen to me carefully… if I catch you near her ever, ever again… _EVER, EVER AGAIN_…"

Sakura tried to focus on his voice. She tried to lift her hand to his face, but it felt heavy and she was shaking. "Sasuke…"

"Sakura," he held her tighter in his arms, "do you have any idea what this asshole was going to do to you? Do you have any idea how much I want to kill him right now?"

Sakura tried to focus, but her headache had her in tears as she gripped his shirt. "Sasuke, I…"

That was all she could manage before she blacked out.

* * *

Oh… em… gee. The song used was 'Time To Dance' by Panic! At The Disco.

So, we finally see what happened to Sakura at the Rave, and it was everything but pleasant. She's unconscious, and in Sasuke's arms—what will he do? Review for the next chapter!! (And remember to never take anything from strangers.)


	21. 4 In The Morning

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )  
**_Hello everyone, I'm here with the new chapter! Sorry it took so long, like I said, I'm really busy with school (CXC in a few months, argh), friends (I have a life, lol) and lots of other stuff. And truth be told, this chapter was finished a while ago, but I revised it many times to make sure it was worth the wait._

_That being said, presenting Chapter 21!_

_**(.s.)**_  
But it hurts when I think,  
When I let it sink in,  
It's all over me.  
I'm lying here in the dark,  
Watching you sleep, it hurts a lot…_**  
(.s.)**_

Slowly, Sakura's eyes fluttered open.

Her mind felt clouded, and as she looked around, she realized that she did not know where she was. It was very dark; and only the moonlight from the bay window behind the bed she was lying on enabled her to see.

She spotted her clothes in a neat pile on top of an ebony dresser, and quickly looked down to see that she was wearing a long, white T-shirt. _"The walls are navy blue,"_ she thought as she gazed at them. _"That's why it's so dark…"_

"Are you okay?" a voice asked.

Frightened, she spun to see Sasuke sitting on a chair next to the bed. Looking down at the matching navy blue sheets, she said in a soft voice "I'm fine…"

A silence filled the dark room, and Sakura's memory came back to her little by little. She glanced at Sasuke, and their gazes collided—he had been looking directly at her.

She quickly looked down again and asked "Where am I?"

"At my house," Sasuke said, "in my room."

"What time is it?"

"Around four in the morning."

Sakura gasped as she looked back at him. "My parents—"

"They know you're here," Sasuke interrupted. "I told them I found you. Your father was distraught, and said he was coming straight over to take you home, but your mother agreed with me that it was best to let you sleep. They'll be here at eight."

Sakura watched Sasuke as he continued. "Ino was pretty worried, too, but Shikamaru took care of her after I explained."

Sakura blushed as she looked down. "My clothes…"

"One of the maids did that," Sasuke said, looking away. "What you were wearing was not... suitable."

She bit her lip as she remembered her skimpy outfit and asked another question. "You're still awake so late?"

"I wanted to be awake when you woke up."

Sakura didn't know how to respond to that; he was being so kind to her all of a sudden. "Thank you for everything, Sasuke," she said, remembering how terrified she had been, and what might have happened, and she put her arms around herself.

"You don't have to thank me," said Sasuke, and he moved onto the bed.

Sakura blushed furiously as she tried to get her head together, and he held up a hand. "I'm not doing anything." He looked into her eyes seriously as he faced her, and she looked back into his onyx ones, which she now could see had a tinge of grey in them.

She shook her head as she remembered that she wasn't supposed to be noticing what colour his eyes were.

"Sakura," he said, "I made a mistake."

She glanced at him again, but he wasn't looking at her anymore. "I should never have pretended to like you in the beginning. But I did, and I know I hurt you, and I'm… sorry." It took a lot of energy for him to say that word. "But as I got to know you, I began to… like you," he admitted.

Sakura's pretty green eyes were trained on his face. "Can you forgive me?" Sasuke finished.

"I don't think so," Sakura said, and Sasuke felt a sinking feeling in his chest.

Sakura looked down at the sheets as she spoke. "All that time, you were just using me." She looked at him again as she said "I don't know if I'll ever forgive that."

"I regret it," Sasuke stated. Sakura, sitting up in the bed with the moonlight surrounding her and the white shirt contrasting with the navy sheets, looked like an angel. "I'd do anything if you'd forgive me."

Sakura smiled wanly as she spoke: "How do I know that you're not lying?"

Without warning, Sasuke leaned into her and made their lips meet.

It was heavenly. That was the only word for it: heavenly. Sakura, surprised at first, put her hand on his cheek as she kissed him back. It was a kiss full of longing and regret.

But very suddenly, she pulled away after a few seconds and put her fingers to her lips, her heartbeat racing.

Sasuke clenched his teeth, chastising himself for what he had just done. What was it about her that made his body react before his brain?

Though he didn't know the answer to that question, he knew something else: _He had liked it_.

After a while, he heard Sakura's voice whisper "You can't expect it to be that easy. One kiss, and I'm supposed to be running into your arms again?"

"No," Sasuke said, and the way her voice wavered he knew she might cry, so he changed the subject. "Is your head still hurting?"

"Yes," Sakura sighed as she lay back down on the bed. "But not so much… I wonder what was in that drink?"

"Sedatives and a shitload of alcohol," Sasuke's voice was harsh. "Sakura, I don't want to know what would've happened if you had even a little more of that."

Sakura shivered, and Sasuke questioned her. "Why did you go to that Rave, anyway?"

Sakura watched Sasuke's expression, his tense face looking at the wall instead of at her, and she could tell that he knew the answer. She said it anyway.

"People do crazy things when someone they love hurts them."

"... hn," Sasuke's response came after a while, and he lay down next to her. "Still not trying anything," he reassured her, and she felt his hand cover hers.

As Sakura drifted off to sleep, she heard the unspoken message: _Don't let me come so close to losing you again. _

_

* * *

_

And that was Chapter 21! The song used was '4 In The Morning' by Gwen Stefani.

(Lol, like I said, she's my favourite… and I think this is one of her best songs. So I named this chapter after it, too. –smile-)

So Sakura's safe—and they had their first kiss!! Freaking finally, right? XD Still, Sakura's trust in him isn't fully renewed yet… and what happens next?

And lol, one of my lovely reviewers asked if the story was ending soon… nope, not yet! –smile- I'll tell you when it is, but it sure isn't now.

Review please!


	22. Proof Of Lies, Or Of The Truth?

**Disclaimer:****I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )  
**_Oh wow, it's been soooo long since the last update... I have the same excuse as usual, CXC, but it's a valid one. And now, it's in a month. It's scary how time flies, and I can't say I've been studying._

_But enough of me, here's the long-awaited Chapter 22!_

_**(.s.)  
**_It's funny how I found myself in love with you…  
If I could buy my reasoning I'd pay to lose…  
One half won't do.  
I've asked myself,  
How much do you  
Commit yourself?_**  
(.s.)**_

When Sakura woke up, she had a splitting headache.

"Oh, you're awake!" she was immediately suffocated with a hug from her mother, and through the mass of her mother's long, red hair, she saw her father standing across the room.

_Her _room.

"How am I at home?" Sakura asked.

"We came to pick you up first thing in the morning, but you've been asleep for the entire day," her father said before grumbling "I don't trust that Uchiha boy…"

Sakura's memory of the short-lived kiss she had with the very same Uchiha boy made her face flush.

"Sakura! You're turning pink!" her mother said, alarmed. "Are you feeling alright? You should have asked us to pick you up from the library instead of trying to walk home in the rain, dear—"

It had rained last night? She hadn't even noticed… wait, library?

"—we live so far away from the library! It's a lucky thing that after I called, Sasuke drove around and saw you, soaking wet. Sasuke even said you were sneezing so much that he insisted he take you to his house so you could have something warm straight away! What a sweetheart!"

Inner Sakura whistled. _**"He's a really good liar."**_

"_I don't want to lie to my parents!"_

"_**Do you want to tell them that you went to an R-rated party in the middle of the night, got wasted out of your mind and that you were almost molested?"**_

Some decisions are easy to make.

"Yeah," Sakura muttered, "he's a sweetheart."

Her father cleared his throat; obviously eager to stop talking about Sasuke that way. "Ino and the other girls have been calling all day, you should call them back when you're feeling better."

"Okay," Sakura said, and with a kiss on the cheek from her father, they were both gone.

There was so much to think about now.

She glanced at the clock on her wall, and saw that it was 5:00 PM. She wondered how early her parents had gone for her, and if Sasuke had been annoyed. With those dark-coloured walls, he didn't seem like a morning person…

The phone disrupted her thoughts.

"Hello?" she said groggily.

"SAKURA?!" Ino and Tenten's voices deafened her.

"Oh my God, forehead, are you okay?!" Ino continued screaming. "Did your parents buy the library story? Are you feeling alright? Did Sasuke push you up against a wall and make out with you on sight?"

"Not really, yes, no, of course not—"

"Stop pestering her with questions!" Tenten shouted.

"Fiiiine…" Ino grumbled.

"H-Hi, Sakura," Hinata said shakily.

"Hey Hinata," Sakura replied.

"Sooo…" Ino said, not one to be silenced for long, "Sasuke told us the gist of what happened, but… details?"

Sakura retold the story from her rescue until that moment, and there was a silence on the phone.

"Wow," Ino said. "Wow, forehead. Just wow."

"Yeah," Sakura said, "it's a lot to happen in one night…"

"I can't believe you made Sasuke Uchiha stop kissing you."

"Inoooo," Tenten sighed.

"I'm being honest, Tenten!" the blonde yelled. "Any other girl would've thought they'd died and gone to heaven."

"That's the problem," Sakura whispered. "He thinks I'm just like any other girl… I'm not special to him at all."

"B-But he, he said a-all those things last night…" Hinata started.

"I can't tell whether it's an act or not," Sakura's whispering was even softer. "I can't tell whether or not he's going to hurt me again."

There was another silence, which Ino gladly broke. "Well, screw boys! Sakura, you don't need Sasuke anyway—he can take his attitude and stuff it."

Sakura felt a smile coming to her face until Hinata said "T-That's true but s-she might need some help with the History project for tomorrow.

"TOMORROW?" Sakura yelped, immediately feeling her throat hurt.

"Y-Yes!" Hinata said, surprised. "G-Gai called us each i-individually—he must have g-gotten our numbers from the student registry—a-and told us to have it ready."

"Can we beg for an extension?" Sakura asked.

"No can do," Tenten said. "He already gave us an extension, remember? Another group asked him for one, and he just kept spewing something about tardiness being unyouthful."

"Oh my gosh," Sakura buried her face in her hands. Their project hadn't been finished yet! And it was at Sasuke's house! She lived so far away, there was no chance she could go over and help him finish it—did he know it was due? Did she even have his number? If she did, she'd surely have lost it by now—

"I STILL CAN'T FIND MY CELL PHONE!" Ino wailed as if that were the most important thing in the world.

"You guys, I have to go," Sakura said hurriedly.

"Oh no, really?" Tenten asked. "Why?"

"I… don't feel so good," she said. It was true, but it wasn't the real reason.

"Darn," Tenten said. "I guess we'll see you tomorrow then?"

"Yeah."

Chorouses of "Bye forehead girl!", "Later!" and "G-Goodbye, Sakura," were heard as the other three girls hung up.

And as soon as they did, Sakura ran around her room in search of cartridge paper and scissors—she'd just have to do the project over herself.

* * *

After throwing up twice, getting a lecture from her mom about overworking herself while she was sick, and being put to bed for the night, Sakura gave up.

She checked her timetable as she walked into school. When did they have History today, anyway? Maybe she could meet with Sasuke, and organize something.

History was the first class of the day. Wonderful.

"Welcome back to school on a youthful Monday morning, youthful students!" Gai yelled enthusiastically. "Our youthful presentation day is here at last—why do I not see anyone celebrating in joy and laughter?"

"I am celebrating in joy and laughter, Gai!" Lee yelled in joy and laughter.

"Lee! You are the youthful student in this room who lights it with a burning passion!"

"I try my best to bring my overwhelming love and adoration for this subject and its teacher under control so I may best learn from this class, Gai!"

"LEE!"

"GAI!"

"LEE!"

"_**The hugging and shiny teeth have to STOP!"**_ Inner Sakura protested.

Finally, Gai picked up a piece of chalk and wrote _Great Women In History _across the board. "Which youthful pair would like to be the first to present?"

"Hn," Sasuke said as he raised his hand. Sakura's mouth dropped—was he crazy?

"Sasuke Uchiha! How youthful of you! Step up to the front of the classroom."

Sakura gulped as she started to get up and follow him, but he gave her a small tap on the head and gently pushed her back into her seat. "Stay."

A few Sasuke fangirls snickered, and Sakura's face flushed. She felt like a puppy. He shouldn't command her like that—

Sasuke's voice cut her thoughts as he plugged a flash drive into the computer Gai had brought for the class.

"Today, I'm going to present on a great woman. She's not famous for anything yet, but she's a great woman nonetheless. She's talented and smart, so there's no doubt that she's going to do something amazing someday."

Sakura's mouth dropped as Sasuke opened a PowerPoint presentation with pictures of her on the first slide.

"'Sakura Haruno'," her heart raced as she read the caption, "'possibly the greatest woman of all time'."

The gossiping was instant, and Sakura could feel all eyes on her.

She stood up suddenly, nearly knocking her chair over. Her face was an intense shade of red. "I need to go to the bathroom," she blurted.

"Go right ahead, Sakura, and do so youthfully!"

She snuck a glance at Sasuke again, and he was looking at her. "Meet me after class," they said at the same time, and the whispers grew louder.

Failing at an attempt to hide her blushing, Sakura left the classroom.

* * *

Chapter 22 is finally done! The song used was 'It's My Life' by No Doubt.

(They're the band Gwen Stefani was with before she went solo, just so you guys know. Most of their songs are from relatively long ago, but I just randomly searched them up a couple of days ago, and found out that some of my favourite songs were from them! XD I'm really happy, and kind of addicted.)

Anyway, back to the fanfic! Sasuke made a History presentation on Sakura that's sure to stir gossip-- both good and bad. Was it sweet of him, or really insensitive? What does Sakura think about it, and what the heck is going to happen next? Review for the next chapter!


	23. Reconciliation

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )  
**_Hello everyone! I'm here again, with the latest chapter of IAI! It's been a little while, though, so those of you who don't really remember what happened may want to re-read a bit of the previous chapter. This one starts exactly where it left off. And, as a thank-you for all of the support, I bring a longer chapter than usual! Enjoy!_

_**(.s.)  
**_One of these days maybe your magic won't affect me  
And your kiss won't make me weak.  
But no one in this world knows me the way you know me  
So you'll probably always have a spell on me…_**  
(.s.)**_

Sasuke blinked as Sakura quickly became a pink blur running out of the classroom.

The class was immersed in gossip. His eyes swept the classroom until he saw Naruto, who seemed just as surprised as he did. The blond shrugged sheepishly, and beside him, Neji had a hand over his eyes. Shikamaru sighed loudly, and Sasuke knew he was thinking 'What a drag'.

_Flashback_

"_Craptard!" Naruto had yelled into the phone as Sasuke answered it the day before. "I've been trying to call you __**all day**__!"_

"_Sakura's parents came for her early," Sasuke said. "I was tired, and you weren't worth answering the phone for."_

"_Sakura's parents?" Naruto's confusion was obvious._

"_Yeah," Sasuke said, and then he realized that Naruto knew nothing about what had happened. He explained._

"_AAAAH!" Naruto screamed. "You KISSED her?! Why did you KISS her, Sasuke?! You're just going to hurt her MORE!"_

"_I'm not planning on that," Sasuke deadpanned._

_Naruto screamed, and suddenly there was a click. The next thing Sasuke knew, he was on a four-way call._

"_Hello, Hyuuga residence."_

"_NEJI!! SASUKE LIKES SAKURA!!"_

"_Troublesome phone… who is this?"_

"_SHIKAMARU!! SASUKE LIKES SAKU—"_

"_Shut up!"_

"_I see. Well, fate caused this to happen," Neji said, "but doesn't Sakura hate you now?"_

_Sasuke was silent, and everyone knew that was a 'yes'._

"_By the way, Sasuke," Shikamaru said. "Gai called and said the History was due tomorrow."_

"_OH YEAH! That's what I was supposed to tell him!"_

"_Then why __**didn't **__you, idiot?" Sasuke said, annoyed._

"_Because I was too busy helping you fix your effed-up love life!"_

"_You never __helped __at all!"_

"_But this is your chance, Sasuke!" Naruto said. "Girls love it when guys pay attention to them! Why not do the project on __her__?"_

"_That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard."_

"_No it's not! She'll like it!" Naruto countered. "Shikamaru and Neji agree with me!"_

"_Just depends on whether Sasuke's destined to do it or not…"_

"_What a drag that's gonna be…"_

"_See, they do! Just do it, Sasuke!" Naruto grinned. "Hey, my ramen's three minutes are done! Later!"_

"_My meditation time is going to start. Bye, Sasuke."_

"_There's a big cloud outside," Shikamaru hung up._

_Sasuke hung up the phone and looked at his computer. Well, it wasn't like he had anything to lose…_

_End Flashback_

Now, it seemed that he did have something to lose. Her running out of the classroom didn't seem like a good sign.

Gossip and lies about Sakura were spreading left and right. Ino, Tenten and Hinata were about to run outside to find her when Gai held up a hand.

"Halt, youthful ladies!" he stopped them. "I do agree that someone should bring Sakura back to class, but that someone should not leave without asking youthfully!"

Ino opened her mouth to say something, but Sasuke interrupted her. "I think I need to talk to her," he said, and even more whispers flooded the class.

Gai frowned. "But you have not commenced your presentation yet, and that is very unyouthful."

"I think he should go," Lee said.

There was a pause as Gai blinked. "I will show my presentation first to compensate for Sasuke Uchiha's absence," Lee continued.

Sasuke blinked. Was Lee actually sticking up for him? And… making sense?

"AND OF COURSE, I WILL PRESENT YOUTHFULLY, PUTTING THE POWER OF YOUTH INTO MY VOICE AS IT PROJECTS ACROSS THE CLASSROOM—"

… well, forget the 'making sense' part.

Gai had tears in his eyes. "Lee, you are a brilliantly shining student of youth! Sasuke, you may leave!"

Sasuke glanced at Lee, who waved at him. "Bring back the cherry blossom," Lee said, and Sasuke nodded as he went through the door.

Ino, Hinata and Tenten stood shocked, not knowing that a day would come where Lee supported someone other than Gai; or that Sasuke would give Lee the time of day.

"G-Gai," Hinata asked tentatively, "c-can we go too—"

"My fiery presentation of youth begins!" Lee cut her off.

"Everyone, sit and listen to Lee's youthful presentation!" Gai said enthusiastically.

The three girls groaned as they sat down. It was all up to Sasuke…

* * *

Sasuke honestly had no idea what he was doing.

Really, he didn't.

He was used to _being chased _by girls. He would never have guessed that one day _he_ would be the one doing the chasing.

But apparently that day was today.

He marched through the halls quickly, his eyes looking for Sakura. Of course he wasn't having any luck—she looked so distressed that she'd never stop in a crowded hallway. Where did girls go when they were upset, anyway?

Two giggling girls walked out of a room, and Sasuke stopped to let them pass.

What room was it? The girls' bathroom.

Sasuke looked at the white, half-opened door. The pink stick-figure in the shape of a woman seemed foreboding somehow, but he knew it was likely that Sakura was inside.

And so, Sasuke Uchiha walked into the girls' bathroom.

Trying to make his stay in the unfitting location as brief as possible, he looked in the space under the stall doors for feet. He saw two pairs of shoes, and rapped on the first door. "Sakura?"

"No," a voice said in a pitch that was a bit too high for Sakura's, and Sasuke moved to the next door.

"Sakura?" he asked as he knocked again.

This time, there was no response. Just a shuffle of the feet under the door. That's how he knew he had found her.

"Sakura," he said again. "Open the door."

"I don't want to talk to you," her voice sounded like she had been crying. "Just go away."

"I'm not leaving," he said. The door didn't move. He ran a hand through his hair frustratedly. "Sakura, I'm in the girl's bathroom. If I get caught in here, I'll be in trouble."

The door opened slightly, and Sasuke pushed it the rest of the way. Sakura was inside, shaking and puffy-eyed.

"What is it?" Even her voice was shaking.

"I need to talk to you," Sasuke said, looking into the green eyes that were focused on the floor.

"I don't want to talk," Sakura whispered, and she moved to walk away. Sasuke grabbed her hand.

"Sakura," he said her name, and his hand closed over hers easily, "that wasn't a question."

She hated him. She hated how his voice made her heart race, and she hated how _right_ her hand felt in his.

He hated her. He hated how she was making him try so hard, and how he felt she was worth it. He hated how _erratic_ she made him feel.

"I never meant to hurt you," Sasuke started, and he was surprised to hear nervousness in his voice. "In the beginning, you were… just a girl, but now it's different."

Sakura glared at him. "It hurt, you know! And that stupid presentation—do you know how many rumours are flying around right now?! About what I must've done to get you to do that; and about how you're—"

"—_so out of my league,"_ she finished mentally, and tears came to her eyes.

"I decide what I deserve," Sasuke said slowly as he watched her wipe her tears away.

He smiled grimly. "The retard Naruto was the one who told me to do that presentation. He thought it would flatter you."

"Flatter me?" Sakura repeated. She had hardly considered being flattered, and suddenly she felt stupid.

"I don't know why I listened," Sasuke said and he looked at her again. "But it was a possible form of reconciliation, I guess."

"Reconciliation…?" Sakura repeated.

"You made it pretty clear how you felt when you ran out of the classroom."

The blush came, and she started speaking. "I didn't realize—"

"Hn," Sasuke said, feeling strange for talking so much. "Anyway, it's up to you."

"_Up to me…"_ Sakura thought. She looked at Sasuke, and saw that he was still holding her hand. Did he realize that?

"_**Don't hide it,"**_ Inner Sakura said. _**"You know how you feel."**_

She still loved him. It was so ridiculous; a crush from elementary school that had only increased in intensity. And even after a betrayal of her feelings, she still loved him.

In one quick movement, Sakura buried her head in his chest, and held onto his shirt tightly. Sasuke wrapped his arms around her back, and rubbed it soothingly. It made no sense to hide her blush anymore.

They stayed like that for a few seconds, and Sasuke whispered in her ear, "Let's get back to class." Sakura nodded, and he led her there, an arm wrapped around her waist.

As soon as they left, the forgotten occupant of the other stall opened the door. She pushed her pink glasses higher up on her nose, and pushed back a stray lock of her long, blond hair.

Meet Kana Morime, Vice President of Sasuke's fan club.

* * *

End Chapter 23! The song used was 'Hate That I Love You', by Rihanna, featuring Ne-Yo.

And so, Sasuke and Sakura seem to be well on the road to recovery for their romance. But the rumours are still flying, and what will Ino and the other girls think? Just what will Kana Morime, the second OC for this story and the newest character, be planning-- will she tell Ami? And whatever happened to Orochimaru?

I think a new plot twist is in order, don't you? -evil laugh-

Before I go, though, I must say that CXC-- those huge exams I have-- are coming really quickly. Most of them are in May, and they won't end until June. I'll try to update, but updates will be slow. Reviews do help the process, though. So review please!


	24. New Plots And Dirty Looks

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )  
**_Well, wow, it's been quite a long time! But guess what: CXC is over!_

_I can't believe it. Those awful exams are finally over for me—my Spanish multiple choice and listening comprehension were yesterday. Now I have time to relax, write, and have a great summer before sixth form. Well, forget that. I'm just going to concentrate on having a great summer and relaxing!_

_So now the latest chapter is here, after a month and a couple of weeks. I hope you guys are still interested! For the people who are, you may want to re-read the previous one, and then on with the next chapter!_

_**(.s.)  
**_But nothing's greater than the risk that comes with your embrace  
And in this world with loneliness I see your face  
Yet everyone around me thinks that I'm going crazy…  
Maybe, maybe…_**  
(.s.)**_

Kana stood in the stall for a minute to make sure they were gone, and then stepped out.

She adjusted the thick-rimmed, pink glasses on her nose, and clutched her camera phone: she had taped every occurrence since Sasuke had entered the bathroom by opening her stall door just a little.

She replayed it, wanting to see how well she caught it, and was pleased to see that the picture was very clear. She saw when Sasuke and Sakura exited the bathroom, her crying and the hug they had shared.

"_Ami just has to see this!"_ she thought, pushing the phone into her pocket.

She was about to leave the bathroom, but checking her watch, she saw that there were only five minutes until the bell rang. Ami came to the bathroom after every session to reapply her lip gloss, so she may as well wait for her.

She looked in the mirror and gathered her blond hair—a brighter shade of yellow than Ino's—into a ponytail. She scrutinized her reflection: Brown eyes hidden by her glasses, and small features. Kana Morime was a pretty girl.

If only she believed that.

Kana thought she wasn't pretty at all. The pretty one, in her eyes, was Ami.

"Hey, what're you doing here?"

"Ah! Ami!" Kana jumped, moving over to give Ami more room at the sink. "I have news on Sasuke!"

"Hm?" Ami froze, lip gloss in hand. "What happened? Did the pink-haired freak back off?"

"Au contraire," Kana said, and Ami raised an eyebrow, clearly not understanding. Kana giggled. "Just watch this."

She held out her phone, and Ami took it from her. Kana watched the purple-haired girl's face go from shock to rage. "She's such a _whore_," Ami whispered incredulously as she watched the images of Sasuke and Sakura hug. "How did you get this?"

"I was in here when it happened," Kana said proudly. She idolized President Ami. She wanted nothing more than to be just like her—the head of a great club like S.I.C.K.N.E.S.S., and pretty and popular, too. Kana had been so happy the day Ami herself named her Vice President—they could work alongside each other for Sasuke! Of course, Kana loved Sasuke—he was hot, and Ami liked him, so what was not to love?

Ami frowned at the phone. "This isn't good, Kana. This isn't good at all."

Kana was brought back to Earth. "What should we do?"

Ami seemed pensive about that as she reapplied her lip gloss. She closed it, and began to walk out of the bathroom, automatically expecting Kana to follow her, which she did. The two girls walked side-by-side, Kana having no idea where they were going.

"Where are we going?" she voiced her thoughts to Ami.

"Oh," Ami said nonchalantly, "The lab. I just want to meet with someone."

"The Bio lab?" Kana said excitedly. "That new teacher Jiraiya is so awesome! I was actually interested—"

"I meant the Chemistry lab," Ami said, and Kana's stomach sank.

Before she could gather the courage to protest, however, they were there. Kana's knees shook as she followed Ami inside—the tables were overrun with conical flasks and beakers containing unknown chemicals; some emitting strangely coloured fumes.

Orochimaru was at the front of the room, bent grotesquely over a volumetric flask. Kana had been afraid of him since her first class with him— like everyone else was— but Ami simply walked up to him.

"Yesss?" he said, not sparing the purple-haired girl a glance.

"My name is Ami," she announced, "and back there is my friend, Kana. Cutting to the chase, we're fans of one of your students, Sasuke Uchiha."

The mere mention of Sasuke gave Ami Orochimaru's full attention. Kana shivered as she watched the oily, black mass of his hair slide greasily over his shoulders.

"What," he whispered, "do you want that has to do with Sasuke?"

"My friend and I think that this girl, Sakura, is distracting him from his work. And we know you like Sasuke, too—everyone's been talking about the weird way you look at him," Ami said.

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow. "The 'weird way I look at him'," he suddenly broke into a full-out maniacal grin, and Kana screamed.

His snake-like eyes zoomed over to her, and Kana felt as if he were dissecting her.

"Well, yeah," Ami said, getting a little scared herself. "So, um, just like, talk to him, so he can keep his focus. This girl's a really bad influence," she added, and Orochimaru's eyes trailed back to her.

"Rest assured," he said slowly, "I will speak privately with Sasuke when I see him next."

Ami nodded, and she stepped back to the door quickly, grabbing Kana's hand as she rushed out.

Orochimaru watched the contents of a beaker boil over a Bunsen burner, and he chuckled to himself. "That boy… Sasuke Uchiha…"

* * *

By the time Sasuke and Sakura got back to the History class, it was practically over.

"For the last time, Ino," Tenten yelled as the bell rang, "Coco Chanel does not count as a great woman in history!"

Ino gasped as she clutched her bottle of Chanel No. 5. "Of course she does! Besides, Lee did his project on _Gai_, who isn't even a woman to begin with!"

"Gai's beauty is a youthful force that bypasses genders!" Lee roared, and Gai nodded in agreement. "I agree that Lee's project was youthfully exciting. Lee, you score one hundred percent!"

"THAT'S NOT FAIR!" the class yelled.

"Thank you Gai!" Lee sobbed. "Your teaching level is unsurpassed!"

"I am only happy to pass onto you the trademarks of youth, Lee!"

"GAI!"

"LEE!"

"GAI!"

Tenten put on her sunglasses when the shining teeth began, and quickly made her way out of the classroom, the other students right behind her.

Ino stuck out her tongue at Tenten, and Hinata looked over at Sakura questioningly. Sakura's eyes looked as if she had been crying, but there was an effervescent smile on her face.

"H-How did it go?" Hinata questioned as Sasuke was accosted by Naruto and the other boys. Tenten and Ino stopped bickering immediately.

"He apologized," Sakura said, blushing now.

"Duh," Ino said, "what else, Forehead?"

Tenten rolled her eyes at the blonde and patted Sakura on the back, smiling. "Ignore her. She's an idiot—"

"I am not!" Ino interrupted.

"—and we're just glad you guys are okay again." Tenten continued as if she never heard her.

Hinata giggled, and Ino's face fell. "Why is no one ever on my side?!" she wailed.

"We're all on your side," Tenten said. "You just don't make any sense."

Ino pouted. "I still can't find my phone, either. I think I'll have to get a new one."

"I-I even went to your house, and w-we still couldn't find it," Hinata commented.

"That's really weird…" Sakura started, but her sentence was lost as she glanced to her right.

Ami was walking through the hall, tall with pride as usual. There was worried-looking, pretty blonde beside her wearing atrocious glasses; someone Sakura didn't recognize—a member of the fan club, she guessed. As Ami walked, she caught Sakura's eye, and smirked triumphantly.

And that was all she needed to do for Sakura to feel insecure.

"Forehead?" Ino questioned as the fearful expression came to Sakura's face. "Sakura, what's wrong?"

The others hadn't seen Ami. "Oh, nothing," Sakura said. _"I'm not weak. I can totally handle this."_

Ino shrugged, and checked her timetable. "My next class is Math! Oh God, an hour of boredom…"

"And we're late for French already, so let's get going, Hinata," Tenten said, and Hinata nodded. "Later, guys!"

"Bye! Let's get going, Forehead!" Ino hurried off in the direction of the Math class, and Sakura nodded, keeping up with her.

* * *

And so, Chapter 24 is over! The song used was 'Bleeding Love' by Leona Lewis.

We finally get to see what Kana's like. Do you guys like her? I have plans for her. Ami has set a deal with Orochimaru that will have a great impact on our beloved Sasuke—and neither he nor Sakura has any idea about it. What in the world will happen next?

You'll see, if you review for the next chapter! Thank you for sticking with me!


	25. Listening, Reality And Pure Green Light

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )  
**_The long-awaited Chapter 25! I have a feeling there will be a good response to this Chapter, because it's long and I think it's good, so I cannot wait to hear what you guys have to say._

_First, patrol duty is basically when a teacher walks through the halls to make sure that each class is supervised, so that no class is without a teacher._

_Also, I'd like to tell everyone that __I've started a LiveJournal__. So now, instead of wondering if I've dropped off the planet, you guys can simply read (and comment, please!) to see how far I've come in updating. Sound good? Yeah. However, all the entries except the first one are friends-only, so __you will have to add me before you can read the full thing__. My LJ is the homepage link on my profile. So go add me when you finish reading. –smile-_

_Preeeesenting Chapter 25!_

_**(.s.)  
**_If you want to  
I can save you  
I can take you away from here.  
So lonely inside  
So busy out there  
And all you wanted was somebody who cares…_**  
(.s.)**_

"Excuse me, is Sasuke Uchiha in this class?"

The dark-haired teen looked up from the computer monitor when he heard his name in the middle of I.T. class. He found the source of the voice at the door—it was Shizune, the school secretary.

Kakashi walked towards Sasuke and put a hand on his head. "Right here."

"Principal Sarutobi needs to see him urgently," she said, casting her gaze on him. She wore an apprehensive expression. "He may not return to classes today."

The room erupted in whispers as Kakashi nodded. "Very well. Go, Sasuke."

He rose wordlessly and followed Shizune into the halls. She walked in small, quick steps; seeming very worried about something.

When they arrived, they found Principal Sarutobi at his desk. His serious expression seemed to soften as he saw Sasuke.

"Good to see you, Sasuke," a faint smile came to his aged face. "Please, sit down."

Sasuke sat in a small chair directly facing the principal's desk. "You too, Shizune," the principal gestured to a seat next to Sasuke's, and she sat promptly.

Principal Sarutobi turned back to Sasuke. "Today, the school received a letter addressed to you," he dug through a pile of papers, "identical to one that you have apparently received this morning at home, after you left."

He pulled out a black envelope with gray designs on its corners, and all of the colour drained from Sasuke's face.

He suddenly grabbed for it, and Principal Sarutobi pulled his hand back, noticing the previous appalled reaction. "I take it you know what this is, Sasuke."

"Give it to me," Sasuke ignored him, "so I can tear it up."

"Calm down," Principal Sarutobi said.

"I haven't gotten one of those letters in _years_," Sasuke clenched his fists.

"Sasuke," Shizune tried to calm him down, "you don't even know who it's from—"

"I know it's from him! It's frigging personalized stationery—that letter is from **Itachi**!"

A gasp was heard coming from the door, and all three persons in the office wheeled around.

"Sakura?" Shizune questioned. "Why are you here?"

The pink-haired girl's face flushed. She seemed to know she had heard something she shouldn't have. "Kurenai wasn't in my class… Tsunade was on patrol duty and she told me to find Shizune to get a substitute. Shizune was in here— oh, and she said to give you this important letter, sir."

She gave Principal Sarutobi the note. The principal then turned to Sasuke, sending a look that plainly said _"I believe you about what Itachi did."_

Swiftly, he ripped Itachi's letter into pieces.

"What—" Sasuke started, but the principal interjected. "You wouldn't need it unless you were actually planning to meet with him."

Sasuke was silent, and Principal Sarutobi turned to Shizune. "If Itachi Uchiha is seen on campus, it should be reported directly to me. He is strictly forbidden from meeting with Sasuke."

"Yes sir," Shizune said as she scribbled in her notepad.

"Sasuke, you're excused from your classes for the day," the principal continued. "Let's see what Tsunade's note says…"

His eyes narrowed, and then widened a little with realization. "You're excused as well, Sakura," he said to her disbelief. "I'll send a substitute to your class momentarily."

Sakura blinked as if to make sure she hadn't imagined that. "Shizune, send Tsunade and Jiraiya in here now, please." "Yes sir," Shizune said, and all three walked out of the office together.

* * *

The principal cracked a smile when the two teachers arrived. "I happen to know that Kurenai was not in her class because _she_ had patrol duty."

Tsunade avoided the principal's eyes, wearing an innocent smile of her own. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"And sending her to my office with an 'important letter'—a blank paper? All of that just to get her to my office in time to hear Sasuke's situation? Brilliant plan. I'm sure Jiraiya came up with it, though."

Jiraiya sighed. "Okay, okay, you found me out."

"It's brilliant thinking like this that makes you a prime candidate for Principal when I retire."

"Principal? Whoa, no way," he pointed to the blonde next to him. "'Nade here is a much better choice."

Tsunade rolled her eyes. "If Jiraiya were Principal, there'd be cameras in all the stalls of the girls' bathroom."

"Great idea!"

"Although," Principal Sarutobi interrupted, "I wonder why you did all that?"

"I came up with it pretty much because 'Nade mentioned Sakura was cute," Jiraiya admitted unabashedly.

"I saw that weird envelope on your desk earlier and saw Itachi's name in the corner," Tsunade confessed. "Just wanted Sasuke to have a friend. I would've sent Naruto, but that kid's so inquisitive and hyper he'd probably have opened the letter and noticed it was blank. Sakura is more controlled."

"That Sasuke kid's gonna have a lot on his plate," Jiraiya muttered, "with Itachi… and even the students notice how weird Orochimaru is with him."

All three looked at each other. "Orochimaru better not mess him up."

* * *

Sakura walked slowly out of the school with Sasuke. They were in the school's courtyard, and it was quiet as everyone else was in class. Sasuke sat on a bench, and Sakura sat next to him.

"Are you alright?" she broke the silence that had settled between them.

"_I can't believe he's back… I'm not ready to take the company from him—I haven't even graduated from high school yet."_

With chagrin, he remembered that Itachi had graduated from high school at a very young age.

"Sasuke?" she tried to get his attention. "Is something wrong?"

"Everything is wrong," he groaned, knotting his hands in his hair and lowering his head. She was keeping him from thinking. Being annoying. He needed to think. Alone.

"You can tell me," Sakura said tentatively. "I'll try to help—"

"You can't help."

"Well," she faltered, "I'll listen to you, at least."

"He was always the favourite child."

Sakura looked at Sasuke's hunched form. His hands were still tied in his hair, and she couldn't see his eyes. "It was a given, and I could see why. He was good at _everything_. He set records for _everything_. No matter how hard I tried, it was clear I couldn't surpass him."

"I won't say my parents never cared about me. That would be a lie. But Itachi was always first. They were proud of him. He had the attention of everyone in the family. Every day I'd come home and find out how proud they were of some medal he won."

Now that Sasuke had started, he seemed to be on a roll. How long had it been since he was able to just _vent_ to someone?

"He had everything he could ever want. And when he threw it away, he threw away everything I'd ever known."

Sakura watched Sasuke's hands drop from his hair to his legs. He leaned forward as he spoke, his voice more animated, still not looking at her.

"He took my entire family away; some of them died _in front of me_. No one believed me. The police were paid not to, everyone who knew his good reputation refused to. They thought I was _jealous_. Naruto and I used to dislike each other when we were younger, somehow I ended up telling him and we became friends. He introduced me to Shikamaru and Neji.

And I still have to live with that bastard Kadtsu. I have to live with someone who helped assassinate my family. Itachi got away with it; he got the company, the money, everything. And Kadtsu reminds me of it every day."

He exhaled roughly. It felt like a lead weight had been thrown off his shoulders. "Now, it's all up to me. I have to take the company from Itachi and rebuild the Uchiha family."

He glanced to the side at Sakura, who was staring at him without blinking. She was absolutely speechless.

For some reason, Sasuke felt concerned. "You can talk now," he said. But he didn't understand. It wasn't that she was not talking because she didn't want to interrupt. She wasn't talking because she _couldn't_.

"They died," tears welled up in her eyes, "in front of you?"

He began to realize the depth of what he had said. "You didn't need to know that."

"No one believes you?"

"Sakura—"

"Kadtsu reminds you? Every day?"

"Sakura—" he tried again, but the tears had started falling. She was crying for him, just like last time.

She held his hand in both of hers. "I'm sorry…"

"Don't be sorry for something that isn't your fault."

"But…" she started. "It's like the Sasuke I saw before wasn't the same person. It was an image Sasuke."

"I'm not as perfect as you thought."

"This Sasuke's the real Sasuke," she said, whispering the last part. "Imperfections and all. I promise to stay with you."

"_That again,"_ he thought. _"That promise she can't handle again."_

He looked at her to retort, but his eyes met hers. Darkness met a pure, green light. An innocent light that was going to do all it could to save him.

"I am," she said determinedly. And without warning, he pulled her into a hug.

* * *

And that's Chapter 25! The song used was 'All You Wanted' by Michelle Branch. (She's amazing, and this song is perfect. Go listen to it now.)

By the way, while this Chapter was still being written, I wrote a oneshot so you guys wouldn't be bored. It's ShikaIno, titled Watching The Clouds. So far the reviews are good, check it out and tell me what you think.

Now back to this story—the title finally makes sense! Been waiting ages to write that part. –smile- A little dosage of SasuSaku fluff. And Sasuke's received a letter from Itachi—wonder what it said? Will Itachi be making an appearance soon? What the heck is going to happen? Review for Chapter 26; and remember to add me on LJ!


	26. Catalyst

**Disclaimer: ****I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )  
**_Chapter 26 is finally here! Thanks for all of the reviews, everyone—they really are what keeps me going._

_And I'm traveling to the U.S. tomorrow! Kinda sorta looking forward to it—seeing family and shopping, yay!_

_As angst-ridden and Sasuke-centric as it is, I hope you like this chapter. –smile-_

_**(.s.)  
**_Monsters calling my name  
Let me stay  
Where the wind will whisper to me  
Where the raindrops, as they're falling, tell a story..._**  
(.s.)**_

On his way home, Sasuke had a lot to think about.

The first thing to come to mind was Sakura. It was pure impulse that made him hug her so suddenly; he decided—though he had no clue why he had felt the strange way he did in the arms of a fragile girl.

He pushed her out of his mind. He had his chauffeur drive her home minutes after that hug, so she was fine. Next—

"Master Sasuke," the chauffeur said, "we have arrived at the mansion."

Sasuke looked out the window. The drive seemed to have taken a shorter time than usual. "Hn," he said as he got out of the car, watching the chauffeur take it down the long driveway and turn into the garage behind the house. He walked up to the front door and spoke into the intercom. "I'm here."

Kadtsu came to the door as he did every day. This time, though, Sasuke saw that he was holding something behind his back and had a trace of a sinister smile on his face.

"Master Sasuke," he said as he stepped aside for Sasuke to walk in. "Hn," Sasuke replied. He wished it was the maid's job to answer the door. Seeing Kadtsu as soon as he arrived home was unpleasant.

Sasuke moved to walk towards the stairs, but the butler held out a bony hand to block the way. The black-haired teen looked up at him with animosity.

"What is it?"

"I think you know," Kadtsu said, "or did your principal not tell you about this?"

From behind his back, he produced the copy of Itachi's letter that had been sent to the house.

Sasuke snatched it, noticing that it was already open. "It was addressed to me," he said, facing Kadtsu with a grimace. The butler pulled a hand through thinning white hair. "I beg to differ, Master Sasuke. I believe that anything concerning Master Itachi concerns me as well."

"Don't call him that," Sasuke retorted. "He's not regarded as part of this family anymore."

"I beg to differ once again," Kadtsu's nonchalance was beginning to get on Sasuke's nerves. "Master Itachi will always be a part of the Uchiha family. After all, he is the oldest son, _and the rightful heir_."

Sasuke's anger was rising. "Get out."

Kadtsu's sinister smile was back. "As you wish, Master Sasuke. Do try to be on time for dinner."

When Kadstu left, Sasuke went upstairs to his room. His attention turned to the black envelope in his hand. The grey curlicues on the corners seemed to entrance him.

"_You wouldn't need it unless you were actually planning to meet with him."_

Principal Sarutobi's words echoed in Sasuke's mind. He held the open envelope as if it were a time bomb, then crushed it and threw it into the bin.

* * *

The next day, Sasuke arrived very early for school.

It was overcast, and a light drizzle was falling. He tilted the black umbrella to the side, looking up at the gray sky. It was coated in thick clouds, and little droplets of rain soaked into his long-sleeved navy blue uniform shirt. They glistened as they fell on the gold buttons.

Sasuke liked rain. Especially today—the sky matched his mood.

"Hey!" a female voice called as he walked inside the school. Sasuke snapped out of his reverie, expecting to see Sakura, but instead he saw Ino.

"I never expected you to be at school so early," she said. "I thought I was going to have to wait for you. Guess I got lucky."

"Why were you going to wait?" Sasuke said confusedly.

"Oh, I was sent to call you," Ino explained. Sasuke sighed. "Tell Naruto he can't copy my Physics homework."

"Not Naruto," Ino rolled her eyes. "He's copying Sakura's homework today; you know how great she is in Physics. They're in the I.T. lab with Hinata. Orochimaru's calling you."

Sasuke wheeled around to face her, and Ino looked surprised by his sudden interest. "Why?"

"Hell if I know," she answered. "I was going to get something from my locker, and when I passed the Chem lab he was all 'Missss Yamanaka, fetch Sassssuke Uchiha for me,'" she did a dead-on imitation of Orochimaru's voice.

"So I guess I'm gonna bring you there, then," she said, tugging on his sleeve.

"I know where the lab is," he said, releasing himself from her grip. "I'll just tell him you sent me."

"Works for me," she shrugged, and Sasuke marched down towards the Chemistry lab.

"_Orochimaru is not an ordinary teacher; and you are not an ordinary student."_

Kakashi's words echoed in Sasuke's mind as he opened the door, greeted by odd smelling fumes, and beakers and test tubes filled with strangely coloured liquids.

"You have arrived," Orochimaru parted his greasy hair as he looked up at Sasuke with beady yellow eyes.

"Hn," Sasuke said, wary of the teacher in front of him. The room was dimly lit, and he cast eerie shadows against the wall. "Ino told me you wanted to see me?"

"Yes," Orochimaru chuckled. "The Yamanaka girl… so happy she never came back with you."

Sasuke stiffened, and Orochimaru waved a hand. "I only wanted to give you an impromptu Chemistry lesson. Do you happen to know what a catalyst is?"

Sasuke never replied. "A catalyst increases the rate of reaction without being chemically changed," Orochimaru answered his own question, and he walked around the table and towards Sasuke slowly.

"I know all about you," he said in a scary undertone. Sasuke refused to be afraid. "I know about your brother, I know what he did, I know what you're trying to do—"

"That's none of your business," Sasuke retorted.

"Yes it is," Orochimaru laughed, and Sasuke clenched his fists.

"Don't be angry," Orochimaru stepped in front of him and leaned right into his face. "I only want to help you, Sasuke. I want to be a catalyst for your revenge. I know how far you are from taking the company away from Itachi. I know how _frustrated_ you must be with yourself."

He tried to hold Sasuke's shoulder, but he shook him off. "I know about Itachi's letter," he hissed. "I know you got it, and that fool of a principal ripped it to shreds. I know that there's one at your house that you never read."

"I'm leaving," Sasuke said angrily, and he turned for the door. Orochimaru blocked it. "Are you angry?" he cooed mockingly. "You have every right to be angry, with everyone. This idiotic school is just slowing you down, isn't it? And that girl—she's the biggest distraction, Sakura."

Sasuke froze. "I knew it," Orochimaru said. "You _like_ her, don't you? You didn't see that she was just another impediment that would stop you from reaching your goal? She's a _hindrance_," he hissed.

"What do you want from me?" Sasuke spat.

"What do I want…?" Orochimaru seemed to dwell on it before smiling manically. "I want a lot of things from you, Sasuke. I want to help you. Itachi isn't going to overthrow himself."

Sasuke looked at him skeptically. "You don't trust me? Well, my help _does_ come with a price…"

"I'm leaving," Sasuke repeated.

"Go then," Orochimaru moved from the door, and Sasuke seized the handle. "Let them slow you down. They don't understand you like I do—you'll never achieve your goal like this."

Sasuke flung the door open and stormed out, but he still heard the last thing Orochimaru said.

"If you know what's good for you, you'll read Itachi's letter. And I don't have to tell you that you'll be back."

* * *

As Sasuke left the lab, the bell for the beginning of the first class rang. Students began running to their lockers to retrieve books, and he avoided all of them expertly. He had to get home before the trash was taken out...

"Hey, Sasuke!" he bumped into Sakura and she smiled prettily at him. He grasped her shoulders with both hands, ducking into an empty hallway.

"You never saw me," he whispered so harshly it gave her chills. "Tell Ino, too. If anyone asks, I never came today."

"What?" Sakura asked. "What's going on?"

"I'm going home," he gripped her shoulders harder. The semblance to an embrace was driving her mad. "Why?"

"I'm going to read Itachi's letter," he said, and suddenly his hands were gone, and she was alone in the hallway.

* * *

That was Chapter 26! The song used was 'Imaginary', by Evanescence.

Sasuke gets deeper and deeper into trouble. What does Orochimaru want in exchange for 'helping' Sasuke—and will he accept that offer? What does Itachi's letter say, and what about Sakura?

So many questions I'm sure you guys want answered. –smile-

By the way, none of you are on LiveJournal? If you are, I would really like it if you added me—my LJ is the homepage link on my profile, once again. So add me, right after you review for Chapter 27!


	27. The Letter And A Challenge

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )  
**_Back from vacation with Chapter 27! Enjoy, and read the A/N at the end (even if it is kinda long)!_

_**(.s.)  
**_The city is at war, playtime for the young and rich  
Ignore me if you see me, 'cause I just don't give a shit.  
The city is at war, bless the young and rich  
With designer drugs and designer friends…_**  
(.s.)**_

"So let me get this straight," Ino said, fork poised over her salad in the cafeteria at lunch. "Sasuke randomly said 'Oh I'm going home before school even starts, just pretend I was never here,' and you see _nothing_ weird about that."

Sakura nodded stiffly, brownie in hand.

"That's pretty stupid," Tenten remarked as she drank her Gatorade. "He's obviously up to something."

Hinata spooned up some yogurt slowly, seeing the frown on the pink-haired girl's face. "D-Don't worry Sakura, I'm sure S-Sasuke will be fine."

"_Only because you don't know the whole truth," _Sakura thought—she hadn't told them about Itachi's letter.

Ino looked at the sad expression on her face and pursed her lips. "Are you worried that he's gonna do something bad?"

Sakura looked up at her. "Something like that…"

"Do you wanna stop him?"

"If I could, I would," Sakura answered.

Ino grinned as she got up and took Sakura's hand. "Then let's go." She gestured for Hinata and Tenten to follow them.

* * *

"Did you hear that Sasuke never came to school today?" Kana asked as she sipped Vitamin Water.

"Yeah, and it's weird," Ami said, putting her elbow on the table and using her hand to support her head. "Sasuke never misses school."

They looked up as they heard the sound of chairs scraping the floor and watched Sakura, Hinata and Tenten follow Ino.

"What's going on?" Kana moved her huge, pink glasses up on her nose. "Why are they leaving already? Lunch practically just started—"

"We're following them," Ami commanded.

"Hold on, I wanna finish this—"

"Trash the damn Vitamin Water, they don't allow food in the halls," Ami said, but Kana didn't move, trying to gulp it down. "Kana, throw it out! They're getting away!"

Kana raced towards the bin and crashed straight into someone.

"Ow," she said, rubbing her forehead and opening one eye. Her glasses had fallen off and her world became a blur without them. "I'm sorry—"

"I am Rock Lee, fair maiden! And no; I am the one who should be sorry!" Lee said quickly. "Please accept my sincerest and most youthful apologies!"

"It's alright Lee," she said. She already knew who he was—rumours about 'Gai's crazy disciple' were always going around the school. "I'm Kana. If I could just get my glasses…"

She began to grope around the floor to find them, but Lee saw them first and handed them to her. "Thank you," she said as she slid them back on.

"I must reiterate my apologies!" Lee said, kneeling and groveling in front of her. "It is not youthful to hit a woman—"

"It was an _accident,_" Kana interrupted as she looked around. They were making a scene and everyone was staring.

"—even by accident!" Lee shook his head.

"Look, I'm kind of in a hurry," Kana said. "I'm supposed to be following…" she wanted to say 'Ami', but the purple haired girl was nowhere in sight. "I'm supposed to be following Sakura and her friends."

"The youthful cherry blossom?" Lee's face instantly brightened. "Oh, but she and her friends have disappeared on their quest for youth."

Kana blinked. "What?"

"They are probably gone on a journey to find answers; and they are well on their way by now," Lee said. Kana blinked confusedly again and he clarified. "We can't catch up."

"Oh," she said, pouting. "I am sorry to have disrupted your venture! Perhaps my youthful apologies were not enough!"

"No, that's not it—"  
"Please allow me the honor of purchasing you more Vitamin Water!"

Kana stopped that sentence in its tracks. She _loved_ Vitamin Water, and Lee seemed like an okay guy (if not a little weird). Ami would be okay; she was the one who had chosen to run off anyway…

"Fine," she whispered, and Lee grinned.

* * *

Ami muttered expletives to herself as she stomped down the halls.

"_Kana's such an idiot,"_ she thought, remembering the way the girl had run headfirst into Lee. Lee of all people! He was the king of the weirdos. There was no way she would _ever_ spend a _second_ around him; it would permanently damage her reputation.

Idiotic Kana and her dumb, thick glasses—in fact, they were pretty much the reason Ami had picked the girl for Vice President. Kana was so plain that there was no way she could even hope to outshine her.

She rounded a corner and came face-to-face with Ino. Tenten and Hinata were right behind her.

"Where is Sakura Haruno?" Ami demanded.

"I'm sorry," Ino blinked faux-innocently, "but since when do we answer to you?"

"Since right now if you wanna keep your face," Ami hissed. "Where'd the pink-haired freak head off to?"

"That's info you don't need to have," Tenten said, folding her arms. "Now get lost."

Ami turned away from the two girls and looked Hinata into the eyes.

"I-I won't tell you, either," Hinata said. "S-So like Tenten said, I-I think you should leave."

Shooting Hinata a death glare, Ami turned back to Ino.

"You should tell Sakura that there's no way she's getting away with whatever she's doing," Ami said roughly. She spun around, whacking purple hair into Ino's face.

"HEY!" Ino yelled. She moved to chase after Ami but Tenten held her back. "That bitch! Who does she think she is?! Does she think I want her dirty, lice infested—"

"Let it go, Ino," Hinata spoke up, and Ino and Tenten turned to look at her out of mild shock. Hinata looked down, blushing embarrassedly. "T-The important thing is that Sakura got out. It doesn't matter what A-Ami says."

"I guess," Ino said, looking through the door that led across the field and to a low wall. People would climb over that wall all the time to skip school, and they had just hoisted Sakura over it. "Do your thing, forehead girl."

* * *

At the Uchiha mansion, Sasuke was driving himself insane.

He had called his chauffeur to drive him home from school. When he arrived, the garbage for the day was being compiled into one extremely large bag, which a maid had been carrying outside. He stopped her, sent her inside, and had overturned the bag to search for the letter.

So far all he had found were banana skins, crushed paper, used tissue and an empty container of cherry tomatoes.

Sasuke continued digging nevertheless, his hands and uniform stained. He had to read that letter at all costs.

And soon, he found it. "Finally," he muttered as he grabbed it from the pile and ripped it open.

_**Sasuke.**_

_**Have you come any closer to achieving your goal?**_

_**It matters not, regardless. For I am orchestrating an event that will permanently keep the odds in my favor.**_

_**I will have dinner in a formal setting with someone you hold dear at exactly 12:30. I am sure it will be very entertaining.**_

_**If you are able to figure this clue out, then please do join us.  
If you do not come, then I cannot guarantee that this person will be leaving unharmed.**_

_**I will always be one step ahead of you. Even as you read this, I am completing my next step.**_

_**Itachi.**_

By the end of the letter, Sasuke was rigid. He looked at the time on his watch: 11:45.

He had forty-five minutes to save someone, and he didn't even have any idea where he was going.

* * *

End Chapter 27! The song used was 'The City Is At War' by Cobra Starship.

(Used mainly because I think the beat to the song is amazing. XD)

So I'm back in school now, and it's really crazy. You guys would already know this if you would just add me on LiveJournal—I'm getting tired of saying that, so just to my homepage and do it. Important info on when/why I'm updating (or not) will be put there. And you may even get previews on what songs I should be using and whatnot. –smile-

Anyway, let's see. I promised I'd tell you when the story would be ending, so let me say that **the story will be ending soon**. Not like, next-chapter soon, though. I was aiming for 30 chapters, but it looks like there'll probably be 30-something.

So who in the world is Itachi targeting? Will Sasuke get to wherever he's supposed to go in time? And what the heck happened to Sakura?! All those questions and more answered in the next chapter! Remember to review!


	28. Knife Wound To The Heart

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )  
**_Guess who's back? I am! And with a very highly anticipated Chapter 28!_

_Thank you guys for your constant support. And now I bring you a very long, very __good__, (spent so long so I could get it just right) Chapter 28. Enjoy._

_**(.s.)  
**_Hear it, I'm screaming it,  
You tremble at this sound.

You sink into my clothes.  
This invasion makes me feel  
Worthless, hopeless, sick._**  
(.s.)**_**  
**

"No, no, no, no, _no_," Sakura groaned tiredly, wiping a hand across her forehead.

She had run down to the bus stop only to look at the bus timetable and realize that the next one wouldn't be at this stop for two hours.

"_**We haven't got two hours!" **_her Inner spoke up. _**"Heck, we don't even know if we have five minutes!"**_

Sakura began to panic, and she put her hands over her ears and lowered her head to try to concentrate in the middle of the busy street.

"_What do I do?"_ she thought. She definitely couldn't walk all the way to Sasuke's house; it was too far away. She wasn't sure she had enough money to pay for a taxi…

"Excuse me, do you need some help?"

Sakura looked up, and saw a crisp black Lamborghini with tinted windows parked in front of her. The driver's side window was rolled down, and there was a handsome man looking at her from the driver's seat wearing obviously brand new designer clothes and sunglasses to match.

The crowd around Sakura began to murmur and stare. "I, um…" Sakura started. "I just wanted a ride somewhere, but the bus isn't here…"

"I'll give you a ride."

Sakura thought for a minute. "It's kind of far."

"That's quite fine."

She paused. It wasn't like she had any other options…

"Okay, thanks," she said, and she got inside the passenger seat of the Lamborghini.

They drove off smoothly, leaving the crowd of shocked people behind them.

Sakura put on her seat belt and traced her fingers along the Lamborghini's gorgeous interior in awe. The man driving pressed on the gas, and the car purred as it obediently went faster.

"Turn left here," Sakura pointed, giving him directions. The man continued going straight, ignoring her.

She turned to him. "Sir, you missed the—"

"I'm sure by now it's very clear that I have no intention of taking you where you want to go."

Her eyes flew open wide and she swiveled towards him. He had one hand on the steering wheel, his face impassive. He drove faster and faster, throwing Sakura around in her seat and ignoring traffic lights, yet still not crashing—he had extremely fast reflexes.

"I'm leaving," Sakura sputtered and quickly reached for the door, but before she even laid a hand on it child lock was turned on.

She was at the mercy of this psychopath driver.

"Lesson number one," he said, looking away from the road to face her. He pulled off his sunglasses to reveal a pair of blood red eyes. "Never take rides from strangers."

Sakura's hands shook as he leaned towards her. "Lesson number two," he continued, "do everything I tell you, or else I might have to use this." A knife was produced from his pocket, and Sakura let out an ear-splitting scream. The driver moved so fast she lost track of him, and in a second, there was a small, bleeding incision on her neck. His hand clamped over her mouth before she could scream again.

"Lesson number three," he whispered coarsely in her ear, "I'm serious."

* * *

Meanwhile, Sasuke was tearing at his hair in the Uchiha mansion.

Itachi's letter lay next to him in the living room, folded and crumpled so many times as Sasuke struggled to figure out where his brother and this person he was supposed to hold so dearly were.

"_School… one of the corporation's branches… no, those are too obvious for Itachi. And the person… who is that?"_

He was nowhere near the answer, and he had a grand total of fifteen minutes left.

Struggling to concentrate, Sasuke gripped his temples and fell back into the couch. _"Think… think…"_

And then the house phone rang.

He yanked it off the hook. "Hello," he said, frustrated.

"Sasuke!" It was Naruto's voice. "What are you doing at home!?"

"Naruto, I don't have time for this—"

"Hinata told me you left; and you were supposed to let me copy your Math homework!"

"Just copy off of someone else—"

"I am! I guess Sakura's paper must've fallen out of her bag or something, because I found it here in the cafeteria and I'm copying it now. I can't read her answer for number 30 though, can you put her on the phone?"

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Have you lost your mind? Why would Sakura be here?"

"Hinata said that Sakura was going to your house!"

"WHAT?" Sasuke yelled. "Put Hinata on the phone right now."

"She already went to class! The bell's about to—" Sasuke heard the bell ring in the background. "Crap! I haven't even finished copying yet! Bye Sasuke!"

"Naruto, what about Sakura?!" Sasuke yelled, but the blond had already hung up.

Sasuke ran a hand through his hair. Why would Sakura come to his house in the middle of the day?

"_You know me so well!"_

She had said that to him a long time ago, when he pushed her on the swing on their very first date. He didn't know her then; but he knew her now.

She was definitely not the type of person to skip school. Especially if she had Math homework due—

"— _I found it here in the cafeteria and I'm copying it now."_

There was no way she would leave homework lying around in the cafeteria. Not Sakura. Wait. Sakura wasn't even in their Math class. Matter of fact, Sakura didn't have Math that day.

So why was her work at school?

"_I can't read her answer for number 30 though,"_

Why was only 30 illegible? Sakura's handwriting was perfect; he had noticed when they were doing the project. What was the exact assignment that they had gotten for homework, anyway? He pulled his homework notebook from his bag.

It was exercise 12.  
Naruto could not read number 30.  
He was supposed to meet Itachi at 12:30.

Sasuke felt the adrenaline rush through his veins. This was definitely looking like the sort of twisted thing his brother would want to do. Itachi had Sakura—she was the 'person he held dear'.

But where the heck were they?

Sasuke read Itachi's note again. _"Dinner in a formal setting…"_

"_I'm sorry for not wanting to go to the restaurant—"_

A shock of realization propelled Sasuke as he raced through the door.

He yelled mad instructions to a shocked chauffeur, who sped off into the road as quickly as he could, and Sasuke arrived at Jet Sunday at exactly 12:28.

The waiters immediately recognized Sasuke, and one almost tripped over his own feet trying to get to him.

"M-Mister Uchiha!" he sputtered. "How delightful to see you, it's been quite a while! How can I—"

"Take me to the High Room," Sasuke deadpanned.

"Yes Sir, right away, please follow me," the waiter lead Sasuke through the beautiful dining area and into an elevator, pushing the button for the High Room. It was on the top floor; and was the most expensive, high-class room in the restaurant.

The relatively short time in the elevator seemed like hours to Sasuke. As the doors opened, he saw Itachi at a small round table, a terrified Sakura at his right.

Itachi smirked; a sadistic, more cynical version of Sasuke's smirk. "Well done, little brother. Waiter, go back downstairs."

"Yes sir," the waiter sputtered again, and ran back to the elevator as quickly as he could.

Sasuke stared at the scene in front of him. The table was set as if Itachi and Sakura were actually having dinner together, but Sakura's hands were tied behind her back, and her feet bound together. Her eyes glistened with tears. "I'm so sorry, Sasuke…"

Itachi slapped her across her face. "I told you not to speak unless I instructed you to." Sakura's head hung as her tears fell, and Sasuke felt an anger that he'd never felt before overtake him. On Sakura's neck, was that… a knife wound?

"She got a little… feisty," Itachi smirked, watching Sasuke observe the girl. "You bastard," Sasuke growled as he clenched his fists.

"Ah, ah, ah," Itachi said camly. He put his arm around Sakura, and the knife was again placed at her throat. "You have a special _bond_ with this girl, don't you?"

Sakura's eyes looked even more scared as she looked from the knife to Itachi, and then at Sasuke, pleadingly. "I'll try to understand," Itachi said. "She's smart—but a rather stupid smart person, as she proved today. And she's not bad to look at…" he perused Sakura's figure.

"Shut up," Sasuke snarled. "Stop looking at her like that. Put the knife away."

Itachi chuckled. "More important matters: how did you decipher the letter?"

"The Math homework Naruto found could never have been Sakura's." Sakura looked confused now—he would have to explain this to her later. "You planted that, didn't you?"

Itachi nodded, smirking again. Sakura couldn't bear to look at him. "How did you know who was here and where to come?"

The air in the room was tense. "I don't need to answer anything you ask me," Sasuke looked into his brother's red eyes. "Just let Sakura go. You can kill me if that's what you want."

Without warning, Itachi raised the knife over Sakura's head. **"No!" **Sasuke ran towards her as Itachi brought the knife down.

_Slice, slice_.

The ropes that held Sakura's hands and feet fell to the ground, and the pink-haired girl glanced at Itachi in fright. He did not meet her gaze. Instead, he concentrated on Sasuke.

Red and black fought for dominance in the stare. "I had the chance," Itachi said, "to destroy her. In essence, I had the chance to destroy _**you**_." Sasuke didn't back down from the stare. His heartbeat was fast with anticipation. "I have been watching you ever since I left. I intend to remain on top. I have had numerous chances to destroy you, but you are alive as a result of my pity."

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "I would never kill something so pathetic." He looked at Sakura. "You have shown what you deem to be most important. Such an idiotic decision. You do not deserve the name Uchiha, and you will never surpass me, foolish little brother."

The lights clicked off. There was a rustle, and when they came back on, Itachi had vanished.

Sakura was shaking. She turned to Sasuke. His face was expressionless, and he was staring at the ground.

"Sasuke," she whispered. He didn't move. Sakura felt numb. She watched as a solitary drop of water left Sasuke's eye and hit the floor.

"Oh, Sasuke," she ran up to him and put her arms around him. "I'm so sorry… this is all my fault… Sasuke, say something, please…"

He never said a word.

Sakura never let go of him. She held him tighter, but he still didn't say a word.

* * *

"Did he scare you?"

Sakura looked up from her seat in the limo. They were on their way to drop her home—school would be over at this time—and it was the first time Sasuke had spoken since they left the restaurant.

Sakura answered truthfully, whispering to the floor. "Yes," she said, "I was terrified."

There was silence again. Sakura reached for Sasuke's hand, and he gave it to her without looking.

"Did he scare you, Sasuke?"

He never answered her.

A little later, he dug into his back pocket and pulled out a piece of gauze, cotton and some rubbing alcohol. "Do you have those with you all the time?" she asked as he dressed the cut on her neck.

"No. I just had a feeling," he whispered, "that Itachi would hurt you."

Another silence. "Tell your parents you got hurt in P.E.," Sasuke said, and Sakura nodded.

They dropped her off soon after that, and Sasuke arrived home at the Uchiha mansion. His mood was completely morbid, and Kadtsu was happy to see that.

"How is Master Itachi?" the cruel butler asked. "Is he doing well?"

Sasuke ignored him and walked around him, trying to get to his room.

"Wait, Master Sasuke, I have a letter for you," Kadtsu said.

Sasuke was sick of letters. "Keep it."

"But Master Sasuke," Kadtsu held it up, "this one is from someone named Orochimaru."

Sasuke grabbed the letter, went up to his room, and opened it.

Orochimaru's letter only had four words.

_**My offer still stands.**_

* * *

That's the end of Chapter 28. The song used was 'I'm So Sick' by Flyleaf. It's a pretty amazing, dark song.

So, Itachi has made an appearance. You will notice that I am not following the manga storyline here—Itachi is not going to be a good guy in this story. I think that doing that was a grave error on Kishimoto's part, because in doing that, he destroyed all character basis there was for Sasuke. Now, he just seems like he's gone totally nuts for no reason. And the Sasuke that I have in this story would just suffer from that crazy move. So no Itachi-is-good in this story.

(This may also stem from the fact that I don't like Itachi. But anyway.)

So Sakura and Sasuke are both shaken up from their encounter with Itachi, and Orochimaru is still offering to "help" Sasuke! Will Sasuke accept? What will Sakura have to say about it?

Stay tuned for Chapter 29. :D Thanks so much for reviewing, and remember to review this chapter too!


	29. We Need To Talk

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )  
**_Guess what? I worked really hard on Chapter 28._

_(Like super, super hard. The only one that was even _nearly _as difficult to write was Chapter 25.)_

_So thanks to all the people who reviewed. They meant the world, really. Sure there were over TWO HUNDRED HITS on the FIRST DAY ALONE, but I'm seriously grateful for every review I get. _

_Before I start Chapter 29, though, I'd like to explain Itachi's plan with the Math homework (this is a huge spoiler for Chapter 28, so if you're just skipping to the end, please read Chapter 28 first). It would've been very possible for Naruto to have not said anything to Sasuke about finding "Sakura's" homework; or say it to someone else. But I did it to show just how cunning Itachi is—analyzing Naruto's behaviour and personality; and knowing that he would definitely say it to Sasuke, waiting to see how he would interpret it._

_Thanks to everyone who reviewed Chapter 28; enjoy Chapter 29!_

_**(.s.)  
**_Baby it's you I want so  
Stop wasting my time!  
And baby it's you I need so  
Please make up your mind!  
It's time to choose…_**  
(.s.)**_

Sasuke hadn't come to school for two days.

Tenten didn't have to ask how Sakura felt about that: she could see the worry plain on the pink-haired girl's face.

"Come ON Sakura!" Ino pouted. "What happened after we snuck you out of school that day? It wasn't something big, wasn't it? Something between you and Sasuke? Are you guys fighting?"

"No," Sakura said, burying her head in her arms. Only a few minutes until classes started; and Sakura just couldn't wait—it'd mean a reprieve from Ino's constant questions.

Tenten frowned at the blonde. Ino just couldn't tell that Sakura didn't want to—and _wouldn't_—tell them about what had happened that day.

"I-I…" Hinata started. "I wonder where Sasuke disappeared to… have you talked to him?"

"No," Sakura said, her voice muffled.

"WHAT?" Ino yelled, slapping her hand down in front of the pink-haired girl's head. Sakura glared at her as she sat up; but Ino ignored her. "Sakura, isn't Sasuke your boyfriend?"

Sakura blinked. "Yes?"

"See, that's exactly what I'm talking about!" Ino said indignantly. "Why do you always answer that like a question? You either are or you're not. And anyway, you're _supposed_ to be, so you should at least know where he is! Why are you so afraid to just _talk_ to him?!"

Tenten, Hinata and Sakura stared at Ino as if she were an alien life form. Loud, frank Ino had never made so much sense. Never.

"And besides, Sasuke's hot, so after you talk you can make out."

Yet underneath it all, she was still regular Ino.

Sakura inhaled, somewhat relieved that Ino was still Ino; but still taking what she said to heart. _"I should call Sasuke,"_ she thought. _"We __really__ need to talk."_ She fingered the small bandage on her neck worriedly.

The bell rang, saving her from thinking about the effects Itachi's appearance would have on Sasuke's personality.

"What class do we have now?" Tenten mused, trying to recall her schedule.

"Y-You and I have French," Hinata said. "S-Sakura has Math with I-Ino."

"Right," Sakura said, sitting down and pulling out her Math book. "Anko's substituting for Kurenai today, right?"

"Yeah, that's what she said last class," Ino replied. "Anko's our P.E. teacher, so it might be kinda weird."

Sakura shrugged. "Maybe."

"Well," Tenten and Hinata waved, "later, then."

"Bye," Sakura and Ino waved back, and Anko walked into the room.

"Alright, guys!" she yelled as she dumped her books on the teacher's desk, "Settle down!"

The students stopped talking and went to their seats, all looking at her eagerly. Anko put a hand on her hip and smoothed down her black hair, licking her lips. "If Kurenai were here, what would you be doing now?"

"Getting notes," someone said.

"Well, I'd totally give you notes," Anko said with a grin, "but when it comes to Math I'm totally **clueless**!"

A bead of sweat ran down the student's faces. "Does that mean this is a free session?" a girl called eagerly.

"I guess," Anko shrugged. "You can't leave though! Just do quiet work or talk or something; I don't care."

The students immediately continued chatting and playing. Sakura pulled her Math book out of her bag, and Ino swatted her on the head.

"Nerd," she said with a smile. Sakura made a face at her. "Oh yeah! I forgot to tell you. I've searched my whole room and I still can't find my damn phone—heck, _Hinata_ helped me clean my room, and we _still_ can't find it, and you know what a neat freak she is."

"Yeah," Sakura nodded, and Ino continued. "So I bribed Daddy and I got a new one!" Ino said brightly, holding up a slim, purple phone. "My new number is 555-0185."

Sakura took out her own phone and saved Ino's number in it. "Thanks," she said, and the other girl nodded. "Seriously though, Sakura, I love this phone. It can save videos, music and—"

"Excuse me, girls," Anko interrupted. Sakura and Ino turned to her. "Can I speak to you for a minute, Sakura?"

"Okay," the pink-haired girl said, and she walked out of the room with Anko. Ino turned to the girl behind her and showed off her phone.

Anko closed the door behind them and looked up and down the hallway. Sakura wondered absently what the teacher wanted to see her for, and then realized that the day she had snuck out of school, she had missed her P.E. class. _**"Forge a note,"**_ Inner Sakura said.

"I'm sorry, Anko," she started, "if you give me until tomorrow, I can bring a note for the class I missed—"

"Not that," Anko said, still looking around, "Ino told me you were having really bad period cramps."

Sakura's mouth dropped. _"Ino, later, I'm going to throttle you."_

"I wanted to talk to you about Sasuke."

Sakura was surprised. "Actually, I haven't spoken to him because—"

"He's been absent for two days, I know," Anko said. "I don't think anyone's been warning you about how serious Sasuke's situation is right now, but I will: if he makes the wrong decision, he'll be in very, very big trouble."

"How do you know that?" Sakura questioned.

"Orochimaru makes it pretty clear what he wants, Sakura," Anko hissed. "You do _**not**_ want Sasuke going off with him. Orochimaru is scum. Even you students can see how creepy he is."

Sakura nodded. "Why let him work here, then?"

Anko crossed her arms. "Principal Sarutobi is far too kind. He figured since it was only a temporary position, Orochimaru couldn't do any harm. But he was wrong."

Sakura looked down to the ground. "Kakashi tried to talk to Sasuke, but it ended up pushing him even closer to Orochimaru. He recommended that I speak to you since he doesn't have class with you today and he knew I was substituting for Kurenai—she's ill."

Sakura blinked, processing all of this new information. Suddenly there was an eruption of noise from the classroom and paper balls and airplanes flew out of the door.

"Dammit!" Anko swore under her breath and rushed back into the classroom yelling.

Sakura pulled her phone out of her pocket and scrolled through her contact list to Sasuke's number. Gathering her confidence, she pressed Call, but it went straight to voicemail.

"His phone is off," she muttered. "How am I supposed to get to him now?"

"Ah, youthful cherry blossom Sakura! What a pleasure to greet you on this youthful day!"

Sakura didn't have to turn around to know that it was Lee behind her. "Hi Lee," she said as she put her phone back into her pocket. "How are you?"

"Feeling the brilliant surge of the power of youth!" Lee clenched his fist as he looked at her. "Are you in the class youthful teacher Anko is teaching for equally youthful Kurenai now?"

"Well, she's not really _teaching_," Sakura said as she glanced over to the classroom where Anko's loud, angry voice was booming. "But yeah, I guess."

"My supremely youthful teacher Gai has sent me on a mission to attain a piece of chalk from Anko, and I will complete it with my very heart and soul in the task!"

"Oh, Lee, my youthful apprentice," Gai appeared out of nowhere, "your eyes shine with the brilliance of a young lad who has come to the height of his youthgul light!"

"It is a total honour to be your youthful student, Gai!"

"LEE!"

"GAI!"

"LEE!"

"Enough!" Sakura interrupted their hugging and shining teeth. "I need to concentrate!"

"On what, youthful cherry blossom?" Lee asked with a smile.

"Sasuke," she said, and Lee's smile dissipated. "I need to find a way to get to Sasuke…"

Gai watched for Lee's reaction, and was surprised when he saw Lee flex his arm and grin. Gai knew Lee loved Sakura very much, and that it must have killed him that she loved Sasuke, yet he was kind anyway: his youthful student was maturing.

"I would suggest that you go to his classroom and request to speak with him."

"He's not at school," Sakura said, and wondered if she could get a ride from someone on the road again. _"But look what happened __last__ time…" _she shuddered.

"I could easily give you a youthful ride there."

Sakura blinked at Lee. "You drive?"

"I am seventeen years old and in possession of a youthful driver's license and my mother's car. So are Neji and Tenten, but Neji has his own car and Tenten is a learner."

Sakura felt like banging her head against a wall. _"So instead of being _kidnapped_, I could have asked Neji or Lee for a ride!"_

"Halt, youthful students!" Gai shouted, and pulled out a pad of passes and a pen. "If you are both leaving campus, you will require these!" He handed a paper to Lee and Sakura, and turned to her. "I will tell youthful Anko that you are on a mission!"

"Thanks?" Sakura said, but it sounded more like a question.

"GO, LEE, AND MAKE YOUR YOUTHFUL TEACHER PROUD ON YOUR QUEST!"

"YES, GAI! I PROMISE TO ENSURE ITS COMPLETE SUCCESS!"

"LEE!"

"GAI!"

"LEE!"

And they would have hugged again if Sakura hadn't dragged Lee away by the collar.

* * *

Sakura gulped as she looked through the windshield of the car and into the seemingly never-ending fields of flowers in the Uchiha mansion. The scene was calm and serene, and she was taken aback once again by how beautiful Sasuke's home was.

Suddenly the white, wrought-iron gate in front of them opened.

"Youthful Sakura," Lee said from the driver's seat of the green Honda, "are you sure you would not like me to accompany you inside?"

"Thanks, Lee, but I'll be okay," Sakura hopped out of the passenger seat and walked up to the opening gate of Sasuke's mansion. "You need to get back to school—thank you so much!"

"I was happy to be of service, cherry blossom! I wish you youth and prosperity on your quest!" Lee called as he drove off.

When Sakura walked through the gate, it closed behind her. Her blue uniform skirt swished between the flowers as she walked, and she nervously clenched the matching blue tie with her right hand. She'd just arrived at his house unannounced: why was she being so impulsive when it came to Sasuke?

It seemed like she had been walking forever when she finally reached the door, slightly out of breath, and it opened for her without her knocking. Kadtsu was looking at her with a menacing smile. "Sasuke's girlfriend. I knew it was you," he said.

"How did you know it was me?"

"Pink hair doesn't make you hard to spot in a crowd," he sneered, "much less in a wide open space. You could thank me for letting you in, you know."

Sakura ignored that. "Does Sasuke know I'm here?"

"No," Kadtsu gave a wry smile, "I thought it would be more interesting if he were surprised."

Sakura walked inside and he closed the door behind her. "Sasuke?" she called. She swore the house was so big that it echoed. Making a guess at where he was, she walked up the stairs and to his room.

"Sasuke?" she called more tentatively once outside the door. She heard a rustle from inside, and suddenly the door flew open.

"Sakura?" the black-haired boy was shocked. "What are you doing here?" He was wearing jeans and a faded black shirt: it didn't look like he had been planning on going to school at all.

"Why haven't you been at school?" Sakura asked. "Are you sick?" she thought randomly, thinking that maybe he had the same cold Kurenai had.

"I'm fine," Sasuke said, still feeling shocked at the sight of her at his house. Sakura reached for the doorknob and pulled open the door to his room. Same navy blue walls, same darkness, desk and chair in the same place; but it was a complete mess—paper and clothes were strewn all over.

"Sasuke, we have to talk," Sakura said, still clutching her tie. "You're not fine. And neither am I. But we can sort this out, as long as we're together, okay? I need to know, I honestly need to know—are we… are we serious about each other?"

"Sakura," he said slowly, "I'm not going back to Konoha High."

* * *

That's Chapter 29! The song used was 'I Don't Wanna Wait' by The Veronicas. (THEY ARE TOTALLY MY FAVOURITE BAND!)

So, let's establish some form of update schedule for this story, because it seems to be pretty random. **I'll update once every month from now on.** That's the schedule I've decided on, and sorry it's infrequent but that's largely due to school and other factors, but I will try to stick to it and make every chapter around the length of Chapter 28. Maybe—if I'm feeling especially creative or something—I'll update twice in a month, but I will try my hardest not to let a month go by without a chapter.

Thank you all for being so patient. :)

So Sasuke says he isn't coming back to their school anymore! Can Sakura persuade him out of it somehow? What will she say, how will he react, and what the heck is going to happen next?!

All this and more in Chapter 30—after you review. :)


	30. I Should Have Known

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )  
**_This month's chapter, Chapter 30, is here! I planned on updating last weekend, but I was so busy it just never happened. So, I figured I should update on Sakura's birthday, but I'm a day late. (Happy belated birthday, Sakura!)_

_Also, this made me realize that there are some details I won't be able to fit in the story, including these:  
1. Neji, Tenten and Lee learned to drive together.  
2. Kana is near sighted._

_There are a bunch of others, but it's time to start Chapter 30!_

_**(.s.)  
**_As I paced back and forth all this time  
Cause I honestly believed in you.  
Holding on  
The days drag on  
Stupid girl,  
I should have known,  
I should have known…_**  
(.s.)**_

Sakura let go of her tie, and her mouth dropped open slowly as she processed that information.

"You're not," she said, "coming back."

"I'm not coming back," Sasuke repeated.

The pink-haired girl was stunned. She looked at all of the scattered papers and books, and then she noticed the open suitcase.

"Where are you going?"

"To a boarding school in Sound," Sasuke said, following her gaze to the suitcase, neatly packed in the middle of the messy room. "Orochimaru is principal there. I'm going to study directly under him."

Sakura inhaled slowly. "When?"

"I'm leaving tomorrow night."

"_If he makes the wrong decision, he'll be in very, __very__ big trouble."_

"Tell me you're joking," Sakura said.

Sasuke just looked at her. "Hn."

"We're back to that again?" Sakura shook her head. "Sasuke, this is because of Ita—"

"No," he cut her off.

"It _is_," she insisted.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "This is something I have to do. It would have happened even if he didn't come… you knew it would."

"_All I can do is keep my grades up, and hopefully start a company that can beat Itachi's."_

Sasuke looked at Sakura's face. "I have to go. I'm being distracted here."

"_She's the biggest distraction, Sakura."_

He remembered Orochimaru's words, and it was as if she could read his mind.

"I'm distracting you," she stated simply, hanging her head down. "I'm just holding you back."

Sasuke didn't say anything. He expected tears to be leaking from the pink-haired girl's eyes when she looked up, but instead, she was angry.

"You lied to me!" she screamed, and the whole house echoed. "You lied!"

"What?" Sasuke was taken aback.

"You're such an ass," she choked. "You're a user, a liar and a total ass!"

Sasuke hesitated. "I regret it," he said, and he thought of the last time he said those words to her.

"_All that time, you were just using me. I don't know if I'll ever forgive that."_

"_I regret it, I'd do anything if you'd forgive me."_

"_How do I know that you're not lying?"_

"But you were lying," Sakura looked at him angrily. She had thought of that moment, too. The tears Sasuke had expected finally spilt from her eyes. "You were."

Sasuke felt trapped. He looked at the furious girl who was crying real tears for him just as she had since the very beginning, again and again. He wanted to say something, but there were no words that he thought would fit.

Before he could reach out to her, she flew through the door. She was out of his room. He heard her footsteps storm down the stairs and the slam of the front door, and he knew she was out of his house.

And then, he realized that Sakura Haruno was out of his league.

"_It's better this way,"_ he thought. Sakura was just one more attachment severed. She deserved a boy who could stay with her, not someone like him. Since the beginning, he had not really wanted her.

With that last thought, he realized he was, in fact, a liar.

* * *

Sakura folded her arms across her stomach as she stomped towards the gate of the Uchiha mansion.

"_**Don't cry," **_Inner Sakura cautioned her, and she agreed. Sasuke had stolen enough of her tears.

He just wouldn't get out of her head. Images of black hair, dark eyes and strong arms kept coming to her. She thought of him rescuing her at the Rave. Staring at the ceiling and talking to him in his bed. The presentation on her that he had made. She thought of everything.

All those times she would think, _"This is how it's supposed to be,"_ just to have some obstacle come and separate them again.

When she reached the gate, she realized that it was shut. She threw back her head in frustration—it would be so demeaning to have to go back and ask Sasuke to open it.

Suddenly it opened for her, and Sakura turned back towards the house. She caught the image of Sasuke standing in his bedroom window, gate opener in hand, right before he disappeared.

She stared at the empty window before she took a step out of the gate. She had sort of thought that Sasuke's chauffeur would have taken them both back to school—wishful thinking. She really should have accepted Lee's offer to wait.

With tears in her eyes, she started the long walk back to school.

* * *

"Hey, you," Kana turned to see that guy Shikamaru talking to her. "No drinking outside of the cafeteria. And it's almost time for class."

"Sorry," Kana said as she drank the last of the Vitamin Water and threw away the bottle. "I'm going now."

The bell rang, and Shikamaru sighed as if the weight of the world were on his shoulders. "This job is such a drag…" he said as he walked off.

The halls filled with students running to and from their lockers, and Kana caught a glimpse of Ino, Tenten and Hinata talking. All of them looked worried, and Sakura was not with them.

She gazed at them for a second. Tenten asked Ino something, and Ino shrugged in response. Hinata was nervously biting a fingernail. After Tenten said something, Ino shook her head and yelled about 'Forehead always getting into trouble'.

She stormed off in the direction of the classrooms, and Hinata followed her, but Tenten stayed where she was, pulling a ringing cell phone out of her pocket.

"Hello?" the brown-haired girl said, and as she listened to whoever was on the phone, she headed towards the school doors, running into Neji. He questioned her, and when she answered, they walked outside together.

Kana blinked, pushed her pink glasses up on her nose, and was about to head to class when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Did you see that?" Ami said, narrowing her eyes in the direction Tenten and Neji had walked. "Let's go."

"But I have class—"

Ami gave her an icy stare. "Do you want to remain Vice President or not?"

Not giving her a chance to answer, Ami walked through the doors, and Kana hesitated before following her.

The two girls shadowed the couple as they walked briskly to the school's parking lot, meeting a boy coming out of a green Honda. _"It's him!"_ Kana thought as she recognized Lee.

"Ew, that loser," Ami said. "They're talking. We have to go closer to hear what they're saying."

Kana followed Ami as she ducked behind a tree closer to them.

"… was on a youthful mission to take the youthful cherry blossom to Sasuke's house," they heard Lee say. "That is her current location."

"You left her there, Lee?" Tenten shook her head. "You should have taken her back."

"She informed me that she would not require such assistance," Lee said.

"But," Tenten said, trying to say this in a way that Lee would understand. "You should not leave a lady somewhere alone. It's… unyouthful."

"IT IS!?" Lee exclaimed. "OH NO! What would Gai think!?"

"Calm down," Neji said. "We'll just go to Sasuke's and bring them both to school. I've wanted to ask Sasuke why he's been absent… he won't answer his phone."

"Alright," Tenten nodded. "Let's go."

"We're taking my car," Neji said, pointing to a white Lexus convertible.

"But why?" Lee questioned as they headed towards it.

"Because," Neji said, "I want to drive."

"Control freak," Tenten teased.

"Definitely," Lee agreed, and Neji hit them both playfully on the head.

"I, however, have missed too many classes for the day already," Lee said suddenly. "I shall not accompany you."

"Suit yourself," Neji said as he slid into the driver's seat. Tenten went into the passenger's seat next to him.

"Bye Lee!" she yelled, and Neji gave a small smile and a wave as he drove off.

Kana watched as Neji and Tenten drove away, Lee going back in their direction. Just from watching their exchange, she could tell that they were close friends. _"That must be nice,"_ she thought. When she really thought about it, the only friend she had was Ami.

Turning to face her, Kana was surprised to see Ami typing away on a cell phone. A cell phone that definitely was not hers.

"What are you doing?" Kana asked, looking at the phone. "Is that… is that Ino's old cell phone? You still have it?"

"Never know when you might need something," Ami cackled. "Sakura thinks she can just go to Sasuke's house unannounced… what a little bitch."

"Ami," Kana cautioned, "I-I don't think you should—"

Ami didn't even look up as she pressed send.

"Now," she said, tucking the phone into her pocket, "we have some planning to take care of."

"What are you going to do?" Kana said.

Ami smiled sneakily. "Arrange something for Sakura Haruno."

Kana watched Ami throw her hair over her shoulder. Every bit of her was cool and confident.

But Kana didn't want to be a part of this.

"No," Kana said abruptly, and she covered her mouth.

The glare was back on Ami's face. "What did you say?"

Kana gulped. She didn't like it when Ami looked at her like that. It was scary… she was being mean.

Were those the qualities she wanted in a leader? Someone who was scary and mean?

"I said no," Kana said. "I don't want to hurt Sakura. She seems like a nice girl."

"She's a _slut_," Ami hissed, getting closer to Kana and poking her chest threateningly. "She's trying to make time with Sasuke, who's totally out of her league."

"I don't even _like_ Sasuke!" Kana blurted, and Ami's eyes narrowed. "I… I like someone else! I was just in this stupid group because you were my friend!"

The next few seconds were a blur to Kana. Ami gave her a very hard backhand slap across the face, sending her glasses to the ground, and pushed her down. Her cheek ached as she lay there, feeling defenseless.

"Last chance," Ami seethed, "to get off your fucking high horse and come with me."

"Kana!"

Through blurry vision, Kana saw someone running towards them. "This isn't over. Don't you dare say a word," Ami said menacingly as ran in the other direction.

Kana watched Ami become a blur and disappear into the distance. "Kana!" the person running called to her again, and when he got closer, she saw Lee. "I saw that horrible incident. That girl is reprehensible," he said, glaring in the direction Ami went.

"Lee," Kana choked, and her hair fell out of its ponytail. Her brown eyes filled with tears as Lee helped her to stand up. She leaned against him, and he suddenly felt protective of her.

"You do not have to explain," he said, "Let us just go to the nurse."

She had to explain, though. She _had_ to. Ami was scary when she was angry, as she had just proven, and Kana had no idea what was in that text message to Sakura.

When she leaned against Lee, though, all she could do was cry.

* * *

End Chapter 30! The song used was 'White Horse' by Taylor Swift. (I love her, and that song.)

Ami is springing a dangerous trap for Sakura, Sasuke's about to make the biggest mistake of his life, Kana is hurt, and Neji and Tenten are on their way to see Sasuke. This makes for a very interesting Chapter 31, don't you think?

Exams are coming up, so I don't guarantee a quick update. But we'll see—after you review. :)


	31. Deal With The Devil

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )  
**_Guys! Chapter 31 is here! –happy dance-_

_For those who will wonder, the message details contain additional information about the message, such as the number it was sent from, time sent, time received, and date and time replied._

_I am REALLY proud of this one—took ages to complete! I really hope you like it as much as I do!_

_**(.s.)  
**_And I'm scared of being the only shadow I see along the wall.  
And I'm scared the only heartbeat I hear beating is my own.  
And I'm scared of being alone, I can't seem to breathe  
When I am lost in this dream, I need you to hold me…  
I'm scared of lonely.  
_**(.s.)**_

Fifteen minutes after she had left the Uchiha Mansion, Sakura was back in town.

"_Finally,"_ she checked her watch in the middle of a crowd waiting for a bus. _"It's already midday, so I'll just go home."_

Definitely home. There was only half of the school day left, she was depressed and tired, and totally not looking forward to the inquisition Ino and Tenten would put her through.

As a bus approached, her cell phone rang in her pocket. "A text?" she skimmed the message on the screen.

From: Ino Yamanaka  
12:00 PM

I heard the Chem teacher talked to Sasuke  
& that's why he's acting weird!  
You should tell him to BACK OFF.  
You LOVE Sasuke!  
Go to the lab at 1:00—we'll support!

(Press Okay to view message details.)

Sakura held the phone tightly. _"He never loved me," _she thought, and winced. It sounded so rough when she played it back to her own ears.

"'Scuze me, Miss," the bus conductor said. "Are you coming?"

"Oh," Sakura said—she'd forgotten the bus had even come. "Yes, just let me find some change…"

_You LOVE Sasuke!_

The text message was like a huge sign begging to be read as she held her phone in one hand, rummaging through her pockets with the other. _"He never loved me. But I love him."_

Present tense. I love him. Sakura Haruno loves Sasuke Uchiha. Like she has since elementary school.

And when you love someone, you don't just let them go.

Ino was right. This called for an intervention.

"I'm sorry," she changed her mind. She'd have to take the bus home, but school was within walking distance. "I'm not coming."

The bus pulled away, and Sakura turned off her phone. She needed to concentrate on what she was going to say to Orochimaru.

Melding back into the crowd on the sidewalk with a new goal in sight, she didn't register the white Lexus convertible that whizzed past her.

And had she checked the message details, she would have seen that it was sent from Ino's lost old phone…

* * *

"Nejiii," Tenten whined as she turned down the air conditioning, "leave it alone."

"Tenten, it's burning up in here," Neji said as he stopped at behind a trail of cars, all waiting for a bus to take some passengers. He moved her hand away, turning the air conditioning up again.

"The boys' uniform has long sleeves, but the girls' sleeves are short," she explained. "So for me, it's freezing."

Neji smirked at her, and against her will, Tenten swooned. She secretly loved it when he did that. "Well, Ten, that sucks for you."

"Ugh," she flopped back in the seat and crossed her arms like a little child. "When we get Sakura, she'll side with me. Then it'll be two against one."

"I'd prefer a one-on-one," Neji reached over and stroked her face. Before he could kiss her, though, the bus drove off, and the string of cars in front of them began to move quickly.

"We'll get back to that," he said, putting his hand back on the steering wheel. Tenten gazed at him, a small smile and a light blush on her face. No matter how worried or stressed she was, Neji could take that all away.

As they drove, their minds on each other, how were they to see the spot of pink in the crowd of people on the sidewalk?

* * *

"Our youthful nurse is not here," Lee said as he and Kana walked inside the nurse's office. "Where could she be?"

Kana didn't make a suggestion as he guided her to a seat—without her glasses, she could hardly see. She held the bent frame in her hand, running a finger over the scratched lenses.

"Lee," she said, and he turned to her. He was near enough that she could make out the details of his face. His eyebrows were huge and his eyes wide, but somehow she found that endearing. "I have to tell you—"

"Oh no!" Lee interrupted. "Is your youthful knee in pain? I shall retrieve antiseptic!" His figure began to blur as he got up, going further away.

"It's not that!" she said with an urgent voice, but he still raced through the cabinets for antiseptic. "Something bad is going to happen to Sakura!"

He froze, and his expression changed entirely.

Kana looked down. "You like her, don't you?"

"WHAT DID YOU DO WITH FOREHEAD-GIRL?"

Shocked, Lee and Kana's heads snapped towards the door as Ino stomped inside.

Kana started, "I don't know what happened—"

"LIAR!"

"I'm not lying!"

"Listen," Ino threatened, "if you and Ami think you can mess with me and my best friend—"

"She is not lying," Lee said, coming between the two girls. "The only thing we know about the youthful cherry blossom is that earlier, I took her to visit Sasuke Uchiha."

Ino looked both surprised and hurt. "And she didn't tell me?"

"Ami's trying to hurt her," Kana said.

Ino glared at her. "Tell me everything."

"I don't _know_ everything," Kana said, looking down. "Just that Ami sent Sakura a text message pretending to be you."

"That's impossible," Ino said, holding up her phone. "My cell's right here."

Kana looked at her desperately. "The reason you couldn't find your old phone is because Ami stole it."

"The _bitch_!" Ino screamed. "I spent hours looking for that!"

"I'm not sure what the text said," Kana admitted, "I didn't see it. Ami just said she had plans to make for Sakura, and when I refused to participate…" Ino noticed her bent glasses, the scrape on her knee, and the fading mark on her face from Ami's slap.

Ino shook her head. "She's going down."

"Does the youthful cherry blossom have your new number?" Lee questioned. "If she does, then perhaps she will know that message was not yours."

"She has my new number," Ino said, "but she didn't delete my old one. The message will still pop up saying it's from me."

Kana brightened. "In the message details, it'll say it was your old phone number!"

"Do you check the message details when you get a new message?" Ino asked flatly.

Kana looked away sheepishly. "No…"

Ino quickly flipped open her phone and dialed Sakura's number.

"_Hey! You've reached Sakura Haruno; but I'm not available. You can leave a message after the beep—"_

"You've got to be kidding me!" Ino said exasperatedly. "Sakura, I didn't send that text! The minute you get this message, call me back on my new cell!" she snapped the phone shut.

"Now she shall know that the message is not yours," Lee nodded affirmatively.

Ino shook her head. "Sakura never checks her messages," she said, taking a few steps away. "The only thing that girl slacks on is her social life. I'm going to try to find her."

"We shall assist!" Lee declared. "When is your next class?"

"Staff meeting; school's cancelled for the rest of the day," Ino said.

"That is why the nurse is not present," Lee nodded. "Now, let us commence the search—"

"No," Ino said. "Kana's hurt, and you'd better stay with her. Give me your cell number."

As Lee gave it to her, she saved it in her phone. "If you hear anything at all, call me," she said.

"I shall do so youthfully!" Lee stated seriously.

Ino nodded and looked at Kana. The other blonde had to strain to look back at her.

"You look way better without those dumbass glasses," Ino said, flipping her ponytail back. "Get a slimmer pair or go for contacts."

With that, she left the room.

Kana watched as Ino became a total blur and then disappeared completely, her eyes paining a little. As she rubbed them, Lee searched the cabinets again.

"Success!" he said as he found the antiseptic. He rushed over to Kana and kneeled in front of her. "My task has been completed! Please allow me to assist you!"

"Okay," Kana said, and he poured some of the antiseptic onto a piece of cotton.

"I youthfully agree that you do look even more stunning without your glasses."

* * *

"Sakura Haruno…"

In the Chemistry lab, Ami was staring down Orochimaru as he spoke to her, an experiment on the table between them.

"Yes, her. The same girl I came here about last time," Ami folded her arms as Orochimaru looked her up and down with his beady yellow eyes. "You didn't do a very good job talking to Sasuke. He's still going out with her."

Orochimaru sneered. "Is he?"

"He is," Ami said disgustedly. "I hate her, and I need you to get rid of her."

At this, Orochimaru started paying more attention. "You want," he clarified, "me to kill a student."

"Not necessarily _kill_ her," Ami waved her hand. "We could get into trouble for that."

Ami clearly had no care for Sakura's life in the least.

"I just want you to _scare_ her," Ami whispered over volumetric flask. "Scare her so badly that she doesn't even want to _hear_ Sasuke's name again. She isn't worthy. No one is worthy of him but me."

Orochimaru had to smirk at that. He was not concerned at all about Ami's issues, but he knew that they had a common ground: Sakura Haruno was causing problems for both of them.

He had expected Sasuke to be supported by Naruto, but that boy did not have a clue as to what was going on. Sakura was smarter, and he did not anticipate her being so close to him. She posed a potential threat to his plan with Sasuke—especially if she figured him out and managed to dissuade Sasuke from going with him to Sound.

She had to be eliminated.

"I will scare her," Orochimaru agreed slyly. He would do more than scare her.

Ami smirked, looking triumphant—foolishly so. "I arranged for her to come here in the next forty minutes," she said, walking out of the laboratory.

Forty minutes… that was ample preparation time.

"Most of the students are gone home by now, she should get here without being distracted," Ami mused, and she blinked. "There's a major staff meeting… why aren't you there?"

"Sadly, I am not welcome at that meeting…" Orochimaru chuckled darkly.

"I'm leaving," Ami said, hiding her fear. He barely acknowledged her as she left the Chemistry lab, walking down the halls.

Sakura Haruno had overcome everything she threw her way. The pink-haired skank had even cost her the Vice President; who was doing God-knows-what with a loser dressed in spandex.

She'd be damned if Sakura cost her Sasuke.

* * *

"Master Sasuke," Kadstu called from outside his room. "You have received a message."

Sasuke shifted, throwing another shirt inside his suitcase. "Ignore it."

"Master Itachi would be very offended."

Sasuke's door was opened a crack, and he took the letter from the butler. Kadtsu smiled wickedly as he ripped it open.

"Also," Kadstu added as he unfolded it, "there is a white Lexus convertible coming down the driveway."

Sasuke barely registered the last bit of information as the butler left. His attention was on the letter in his hand.

_**Sasuke.**_

_**A warning:**_

_**Something very precious to you is about to be destroyed.**_

_**Itachi.**_

* * *

Chapter 31 complete! The song used was 'Scared of Lonely' by Beyonce. (It's really amazing; I love it.)

There is _so much_ going on in this chapter. Sakura crosses paths with Neji and Tenten without even realizing! Ami and Orochimaru are working together! And Sasuke gets another letter from Itachi.

This is probably one of the most epic chapters yet. (laugh) I can't wait to hear what you guys think of it!

However, due to exams, **I will not be able to update in May.** This goes for all of my stories. So, the next update will be in June.

That said, remember to review!


	32. Danger And Decisions

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )  
**_Guys! Guys! Guys! I am SO excited._

_LOOK AT THE REVIEW COUNT! Over 1000 reviews; I can't believe this! Thank you __SO__ much everyone! (heartsheartshearts)_

_More things I can't put in the story:_

_3. Hinata always goes home at 3:00, when their school is normally over, on the dot. Not early, not late.  
4. This is the way I see Neji and Naruto. I've always imagined that Neji was very perceptive, especially about Tenten, and that Naruto was extremely innocent. –laugh-  
5. Sasuke has hormones and feelings, I'm sure. (Contrary to popular belief. _:)

_I'm totally excited. _:)_ Now, let's start Chapter 32!_

_**(.s.)  
**_You're gonna see me in your dreams tonight,  
My face is gonna haunt you all the time.  
I promise that you gon' want me back,  
When your world falls apart like shattered glass._**  
(.s.)**_

Sasuke stared at the letter in his hands. What was Itachi doing now? Why was his brother always two steps ahead of him?

"Master Sasuke," Kadtsu's voice broke his concentration, "Your guests have arrived."

"I'm not expecting anyone," Sasuke said, still looking at the letter. "Tell them to leave."

"We're not leaving until you come down here and talk to us!"

Sasuke frowned as he recognized Tenten's voice. Folding the letter and putting it into his pocket, he walked down the stairs.

"I'm here now," he said to her coolly, "and I'm telling you to leave."

"Where's Sakura?" Tenten asked unabashed.

Sasuke's frown deepened. "Sakura is gone. She left nearly a half-hour ago."

Tenten's mouth dropped, and she and Neji exchanged a look.

Sasuke was glaring at them now. He hated it when everyone around him knew something he didn't—his Uchiha pride made him unable to stand it. "Why are you asking?"

"If she's not here," Tenten said slowly, "where is she?"

"I don't know," Sasuke said detachedly.

"Did she leave with anyone?" Neji asked.

"I don't know," Sasuke repeated. "The last thing I saw was her walking out of the gate."

"You asshole!"

Sasuke turned to an angry Tenten. "How can you not even care that your girlfriend is missing?—You didn't even make sure she was safe when she left your house!"

Sasuke replied, "I don't ever recall saying Sakura was my girlfriend."

Neji noticed something shift in Tenten's demeanor as Sasuke said that. And the black-haired boy made it even worse when he continued "And if she was, she isn't anymore."

So the white-eyed boy never made a move to stop Tenten's hand from making a harsh connection with Sasuke's face.

"I told you," she said heatedly, "that if you hurt my friend, I was coming for your whiny rich-boy ass."

With his eyes narrowed and teeth gritted, Sasuke looked like he was ready to annihilate her. Neji took a small step in front of her protectively.

In the middle of that tense moment, Tenten's cell phone rang.

* * *

"What?" Tenten sounded irritated on the other line.

"It's me," Ino said, walking around the field. "Where are you?"

"I'm at Sasuke's place with Neji."

Ino groaned, "Why doesn't anyone tell me anything anymore?! Sakura's with you, right?"

"No," Tenten answered. "When we got here, she'd already left."

Ino said a swear word inside her head. "Ami sent her a text message from my old cell pretending to be me, and I think she's trying to lure Sakura somewhere."

Tenten tried to ask a question, but the blonde cut her off. "Can't explain now, I don't think I have much more time—"

"_You have one minute remaining on this call,"_ a recording said.

"Damn," Ino said when she got back to Tenten, "I'm almost out of minutes; and the others aren't answering their phones. Meet me on the field and call me if you hear anything," she hung up.

* * *

"Ino, wait!" the brown-haired girl said quickly, but all she heard was dial tone.

"What's wrong?" Neji asked.

"Sakura…" Tenten said slowly, pushing her phone back in her pocket. "She's in trouble. Ami's at it again… Neji, we have to go back to school and talk to Ino."

"Okay," he said, and the two of them were about to leave when they turned back to Sasuke.

There was a wordless invitation. The words _"Are you coming?"_ hung in the air.

"You know," Tenten said, "this is most likely your fault."

Sasuke knew. He was more aware than ever of Itachi's letter inside his pocket.

_**Something very precious to you is about to be destroyed.**_

Sakura. Something was going to hurt Sakura.

But he couldn't allow her to be precious to him anymore.

"I know," he said, irritated by memories of a pink-haired girl crying while still feeling the sting of Tenten's slap, "and I don't care."

* * *

"Naruto."

The blond jumped when he heard a voice behind him and was relieved to see it was Shikamaru.

"Shh!" Naruto whispered harshly, pushing the dark-haired boy away from the door he had been leaning against. "Why aren't you gone home?"

"More hall monitor duty," Shikamaru said in a normal tone until Naruto gestured wildly for him to be quieter. "I have to make sure no one's doing _things_ in any of the classrooms before I go."

Naruto looked at him innocently. "What kind of things?"

"… what a drag," Shikamaru sighed. "Why are you, here anyway?"

"I was looking for my Hinata!" Naruto said, and then covered his mouth to whisper. "But while I was looking, I came up here, and the staff meeting's in that room. It sounds like they're talking about Sasuke."

Naruto went back to the door and gestured for Shikamaru to follow. The two boys stood, listening to the argument inside.

"… mistake! The most colossal mistake that the school could ever make!" That was definitely Tsunade's voice.

There was a sigh inside the room. "I am sure he does not have ill intentions—"

"Don't trust him," a man's voice said. It sounded like Jiraiya. "Orochimaru is a master of deception."

"There have been no signs of—"

"Sarutobi," Tsunade cut him off. "We've already gotten the biggest sign: Sasuke Uchiha's withdrawing from the school."

"WHAT?!" Naruto yelled, and instantly the door swung open and he and Shikamaru fell inside.

A room full of the school's staff was staring at them with quizzical eyes.

Shikamaru lay on the floor and pulled his elbows around his eyes. "What. A. Drag."

Asuma raised an eyebrow. "Shikamaru? This isn't like you."

Iruka put a palm to his face and grimaced. "Narutooo…"

"Should've seen it coming," Kakashi said as he went back to his favourite book.

"What was that about Sasuke?!" Naruto yelled, quickly jumping to his feet. "What was that about him not coming back?!"

"Look, kid," Tsunade said coolly. "This is a staff meeting. Students aren't supposed to be here."

"I don't care, granny!" he said loudly. "Just tell me about Sasuke!"

Tsunade's eye twitched. "_What_ did you just call me—"

"Sasuke has decided that he's no longer attending Konoha High." Jiraiya stated calmly.

"Why not?!"

"He wants to transfer to a boarding school in Sound," Jiraiya answered again. Tsunade looked at him sternly, but he continued. "Orochimaru has taken him on as an apprentice for some reason. We're not sure why, but it can't be anything good."

Shikamaru sat up. "So all these staff meetings have been about Sasuke?"

"Yes."

There was a silence as the two boys processed that information, and swiftly, Naruto walked out of the room.

"Sorry about this," Shikamaru said as he followed him. "What are you doing?" he asked as he saw Naruto turned his phone on.

"Calling Sasuke," Naruto grumbled.

"If your phone's never on, it doesn't make much sense for you to have one."

"Whatever," Naruto said, but then he stopped. "A missed call from Hinata and… three from Ino?"

Shikamaru blinked, turning his phone on, too.

"Ha! Your phone was off; so you may as well not have one either!"

"I'm _not allowed_ to have my phone on during hall monitor duty," Shikamaru said. When he checked his phone, he had five missed calls from Ino.

"Hey," the black-haired boy said seriously as he dialed his girlfriend's number. "What's wrong?"

"Shikamaru! Finally," Ino said. "Is Sakura with you?"

"No, but Naruto is," Shikamaru said. "Why were you trying to get us?"

"Long story, Sakura's in trouble," Ino said. "I'm by the field. Can you meet me?"

"On our way," Shikamaru said, closing the phone. He turned to Naruto. "We're meeting Ino on the field. Something's wrong with Sakura."

Naruto's mouth dropped open in surprise, and the two of them ran towards the field.

* * *

At 12:55, Ami was standing on the school's lawn, anxiously looking outside the gate for a spot of pink. Two minutes later, she saw it: Sakura was walking to the gate looking tired.

Everything was going as planned. Orochimaru had agreed to scare the girl, Sakura was a little worn out from the walk, and there was not a witness in sight—

"Hinata!"

The purple-haired girl turned around just in time to see Naruto engulf the Hyuuga girl in a hug on the other side of the lawn, while Shikamaru hung back, explaining something.

"_Why are they here?"_ Ami panicked in her mind. _"They should've gone home!"_

Ami looked from the pink-haired girl's approach to Naruto, Hinata and Shikamaru's reunion nervously. Luckily, they were too preoccupied to notice her. She could not allow Sakura to meet up with them.

"Hey, forehead-girl!" she said, walking outside to meet Sakura and making sure she blocked her from the views of her friends. "What're you doing here?"

"Ami?" Sakura answered, surprised. "I… I have a meeting with a teacher, and I'm going to be late."

Sakura tried to sidestep Ami, but the purple-haired girl blocked her and took a glance behind her. Naruto, Shikamaru and Hinata were rushing away now, in the direction of the field.

Inwardly, she took a sigh of relief. But she couldn't allow Sakura to meet with anyone else.

"You know what, I forgot something in the Chem lab," Ami said smoothly. "I'll go with you."

Sakura looked at her for a second, and Ami was worried that she would figure her plan out. But the unknowing pink-haired girl just shrugged and said "Okay."

And so, when they walked inside the Chemistry lab together, Ami surreptitiously locked the door and stood in front of it.

* * *

Back at the Uchiha mansion, Sasuke was frustrated, throwing things from his closet into his suitcase.

The majority of the Uchiha's clothes were black and navy blue. He liked dark colours; they were the only ones he could stand. He was normally very meticulous about the organization of things in his closet, but today was an exception.

1:01, the time on the digital clock on his desk said. Sasuke grabbed a black shirt from his now-ransacked closet and flung it towards the suitcase. It missed.

"_You know, this is most likely your fault."_

He gritted his teeth, walked over to the black shirt and stuffed it into the suitcase; remembering Tenten's haughty comments and the slap she gave him, which was completely out of line. Who was she, to think she could hit him like that, even if it was on Sakura's behalf?

The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He was sporadically grabbing clothes and throwing them at the suitcase now, not caring if they hit the floor. He was grabbing and throwing, grabbing and throwing—

—until he saw a colour that was too bright and felt material that was too soft.

Sasuke looked critically at the shirt he held. It definitely was not his. It was red, too small and seemed like it would show an overdose of skin.

It was Sakura's shirt.

_Flashback_

_Sasuke heard loud, loud noise that he swore would make him deaf, and pushed away some girls who tried to dance on him. Sakura was inside this club somewhere, and he had to find her._

_Calling her would make no sense; he could barely hear himself think. He looked around for her unusual pink hair. There were too many people here. He couldn't find her. He tried to look over their heads. He had to find her._

_Sasuke's eyes caught a hint of pink hair to the far right of the club. There was Sakura. What was she wearing? It was so different from what she normally wore. So much skin. He was a teenaged boy; he couldn't help but drink her in. For a few seconds, he stared at her._

_And then there was a man. Sakura couldn't possibly know him. He looked like a drug dealer. He was touching her. Sasuke was angry now; he started to move towards her. _

_The man offered her something to drink, and she took it. Sasuke cursed as he tried to weave through the crowd—she was so clueless. A drink from someone else in a club was definitely spiked. He didn't get to her fast enough. She drank it, and he saw her eyes go hazy._

_The man was pulling her gruffly into a corner. She wasn't strong enough to put up any real resistance. Sasuke was enraged and plowing through the dancers now. He was close enough to hear her._

"_Somebody help me," she croaked weakly._

_That was the last straw._

"_**WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?"**_

_Sasuke heard himself yell at the man—he was so angry, he couldn't believe this man tried to hurt her—and gave him a severe punch to the head that sent him sailing into the drinks table._

_The sound of shattering glass filled the room, but all that registered in Sasuke's mind was the girl who was struggling to stay upright. He lifted her into his arms easily. He noticed how perfectly she fit when he held her liked this. He noticed every curve of her body, her pretty face, and the smoothness of her too-exposed skin._

_This man had tried to hurt someone so beautiful._

_Sasuke's voice was as deadly. "Listen to me, and listen to me __carefully__… if I catch you near her ever, ever again… __EVER, EVER AGAIN__…"_

"_Sasuke…"_

_He heard her say his name. It was a pretty, feminine sound. He held her tighter. _

"_Sakura, do you have any idea what this asshole was going to do to you? Do you have __any idea __how much I want to __kill him __right now?"_

"_Sasuke, I…" she suddenly stopped talking. _

_He looked down at her. Her eyes were closed. This was bad. Sasuke walked out of the club with Sakura in his arms, the man yelling obscenities behind them._

_End Flashback_

Sasuke came back to reality. This was definitely the shirt that Sakura had worn to the Rave.

Sakura had been wearing borrowed clothes and was fast asleep when her parents picked her up, so of course her own clothes were forgotten. Sasuke shook his head. He couldn't seem to keep Sakura out of his mind for very long.

"_I'd do anything if you'd forgive me."_

He did say that, and at the time, he meant it. She was a person who he wanted to be close to and yet stay far away from. She drew him in with the promise of happiness and comfort and arms that would hold him through the darkest times, but he did not have the time for such things.

It was so complicated, and his conniving brother was right—he had been putting Sakura above his obligation to avenge his family. He couldn't allow himself to waste more time.

But he remembered how vulnerable and innocent she was, and his need to protect her. He didn't even want to think about what would happen if he didn't show up when he did at the Rave. Itachi's letter did not say Sakura would be hurt; it said she'd be destroyed.

Sasuke would be damned to hell if he stood by and let that happen.

So he put the shirt back in his closet and, following Neji and Tenten's lead, he told his chauffeur to take him to Konoha High.

* * *

Chapter 32 complete! The song was 'Shattered Glass' by Britney Spears.

Yes! First, I'm sorry I didn't get to update in June (it's July 1—not horribly late) but I couldn't get this chapter right until now. I figured you guys would prefer to get a good chapter late than a bad one on time.

(Good news is, the second chapter of Blizzard is now up for those also reading that, and I've already started work on Chapter 33, so it shouldn't take that long. No promises, but I will say that I'm trying to finish writing the story before summer ends. Oh, and since this update was supposed to be in June, there'll be another one in July; closer to the end.)

Second, there is a poll for the main pairing of my next story on my profile. I encourage you to vote. : D The winning pairing will be the one I write for next.

Third, though I cannot draw (fail) I drew a picture of Sakura, Kana and Sasuke. The links to those will be on my profile, too.

Thank you so much for reading and reviewing guys; review for this chapter, too!


	33. What Did You Do?

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )  
**_Hello everyone! Here's Chapter 33… exactly one week and two days late._

_I'm really sorry it took so long, but this I had writer's block for a while. Also, this would've been up yesterday if the site would let me log in. –fume- But enough excuses, the point is, I'm sorry and it's here now. _:) _Thank you for all of the lovely reviews—they really kept me going._

_Thanks for being patient; on with chapter 33!_

_**(.s.)  
**_Baby, is this where our story ends?  
When I turn out the light,  
Fantasy and reality fight…

It feels just like I'm going crazy,  
I guess that this is breaking up.  
And now not even you can save me;  
Will someone wake me up?  
_**(.s.)**_

Orochimaru looked up slightly when he heard the girls come in and the _click_ of the locking door. There was Ami, standing in front of it with a devious smile aimed at the back of an oblivious Sakura.

"_Where's Ino?"_ the pink-haired girl wondered as she looked around the room. It was 1:05 now—the blonde should have been there already. Nevertheless, Sakura was there with Orochimaru, so she may as well start talking as she waited for her friend to arrive.

"Orochimaru," she said, demanding his attention. He faced her fully. "I'm here to talk about Sasuke."

Orochimaru chuckled darkly and grasped a half-full conical flask. "I knew you would come, but Sasuke has already confirmed that he will leave with me."

"He can't!" Sakura yelled suddenly, pausing and lowering her voice to a whisper. "Something about you just feels… wrong."

She was amusing if nothing else. Orochimaru walked towards her slowly. "What do you mean by that?"

"There has to be a reason you would want Sasuke and no one else," Sakura said, her naturally logical thinking overpowering her fear. "A reason why you're doing this so soon."

Ami's eyes skirted from Sakura to Orochimaru. The two of them seemed to have forgotten that she was even in the room.

There was silence for a second. Orochimaru leered at Sakura. "I may as well tell you. Are you familiar with Itachi Uchiha?"

Sakura was surprised by the sudden mention of Itachi. "Sasuke's brother. He owns Uchiha Corporation right now."

Ami blinked. _"_Sasuke has a brother?"

"Right," Orochimaru smiled at Sakura menacingly. "Surely you understand. Itachi Uchiha is too cunning, too powerful for me to get to. But the other remaining Uchiha… the smart, but rash younger brother… he can give me what I want."

Sakura stiffened. "And that is?"

Orochimaru was next to her now, cupping her face with a dirty, gray hand. "I will completely control Sasuke's actions and help him overthrow his brother. And then, when he least expects it, I'll rob him blind."

"But why?" Sakura sputtered, too afraid to move.

"The power that comes with such an enormous corporation is immense. _I want it_," Orochimaru whispered harshly in her ear. "All of that money could fund my chemical warfare experiments for eternity, and I must make Sasuke my puppet in order to steal it from him."

Sakura tried to pull away from him. "We won't let you."

"We?" Orochimaru questioned.

"Ino and I," Sakura said. "We'll stop you."

"Ino's not going to be here," Ami said smugly. Sakura looked at her, startled. "It was all just a trick to get you to come."

"But now that you know," Orochimaru said, "you'll have to die."

Quickly, he smashed the conical flask into Sakura's chest.

* * *

Ami wasn't sure what came over her right then.

She saw Sakura fall to the ground in a mix of blood and glass, crying and clutching her chest. Whatever was inside the conical flask was burning her.

"What is wrong with you?" Ami screamed at the man as he fought with Sakura, pushing her to the ground. "I said scare her, not kill her!"

"She's too much of a threat to live," Orochimaru said as he covered Sakura's mouth to muffle her screams.

"You're insane!" Ami screeched as she watched the other girl's blood drip to the floor.

Orochimaru cackled. "You don't think I know all about your failed plans to have that man attack her at the club? I'm getting her out of the way forever—you should be thanking me!"

Ami backed up, eyes wide with fear at the madness on Orochimaru's face.

"And you're next," Orochimaru said to the purple-haired girl. "There can be no witnesses."

As quickly as she could, Ami unlocked the door and flung it open, running outside.

She ran as quickly as her feet could take her, getting as far away from there as possible, trying to find someone in the empty school.

When she did, she couldn't believe her eyes. "Sasuke," she breathed as she approached him, shaking. "Sasuke, Sakura is in trouble—"

But her eyes were wrong.

* * *

When Sasuke got out of the limo, he looked around the decidedly empty campus, unsure of his next course of action.

He had to move quickly—instinct told him that something was very, very wrong as he ran at top speed inside the building—and nearly collided into someone.

Kana squealed, "I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry!"

"Sasuke Uchiha?" Lee blinked. "Have you found the youthful—"

"No," Sasuke said before Lee could finish. "Not yet."

"Ino Yamanaka requested that we meet her on the field to discuss possible locations where we could find her."

That answered one of Sasuke's questions: Ino didn't have any idea where Sakura was, either.

"Will you come with us?" Kana asked tentatively.

Sasuke glared at her—in his mind, she was just a random fan club girl. "No," he said finally as he walked away.

"Where are you going?" Lee asked, grasping Kana's hand and keeping pace with him.

"I'm looking for her," Sasuke grumbled, looking inside some classrooms. He was beginning to regret running into these two already.

"But we can help—" Kana started, and she bumped into Sasuke when he and Lee suddenly stopped turning a corner. "What's…" she started, but her voice trailed off.

There was the school security guard, lying in a corner with a huge bump on his head and a black eye.

He faced Lee and Kana with a confused expression on his face. "What happened…" he started, but then his gaze switched to Sasuke and he jerked suddenly, moving to hit the younger Uchiha, but falling short because of pain from his injury.

"You won't get away with this!" the guard yelled at Sasuke. "Where did you take that girl?!"

Sasuke was confused. "What girl?"

"Don't play dumb with me, boy!"

"Excuse me, but I think you have the wrong guy," Kana said as calmly as she could.

The guard's angry expression calmed slowly. "It wasn't you. But he looked just like you…"

Sasuke tensed. "Where did he go?"

"I don't remember," the guard clutched his head. "I knew that guy wasn't supposed to be on campus, but when I told him to leave, he clocked me… last thing I remember was some girl running up to him and the two of them going that way…" he pointed in the direction of the labs.

"You two," Sasuke said to Lee and Kana, "get this guy to the nurse, and tell Ino what he said."

"Wait," Kana said as Lee hoisted the guard's arm over his shoulders. "Where are you going?"

"Same as before," Sasuke didn't look back when he replied. "To find Sakura."

* * *

The Biology and Physics labs were quiet and empty as Sasuke passed them. His footsteps seemed to echo as he walked down the corridor alone, and he wondered if the information the guard had given them was wrong.

And then a smell wafted towards him.

It was a strange smell, not unlike the smell of something burning mixed with some sort of alcohol, and it seemed to come from the Chemistry lab.

Sasuke instinctively walked faster, and then broke into a run. The smell got stronger and stronger as he went closer and closer to the room, and when he reached the Chemistry lab, it became an almost unbearable stench.

He didn't waste a second in wrenching open the door, and what he saw nearly ripped him apart.

There was broken glass everywhere. Blood was leaking from someone, limp and lying in the corner facing the wall. So much blood. And a girl with purple hair and tears in her eyes. She was kneeling on the floor and watching helplessly. And there was a man who looked like a mirror image of him.

"_Don't be her. Don't be her. Don't be her."_ Sasuke started begging even though he knew exactly who it was.

He knew. She didn't need to turn around exactly at that moment. He didn't need to see the dullness in her eyes. But she did. And he did. Her eyes closed. And it was all too much.

"Sasuke," Ami ran up to him, but he was staring at Sakura. "Sasuke, I'm sorry, I didn't know this would happen—"

"Did you do this," Sasuke said. It wasn't a question, but Ami answered anyway.

"No, I didn't, I swear, it was—"

"I wasn't talking to you," Sasuke said, looking straight at Itachi. "What did you do?!"

"Don't you think there's someone else who needs your energy right now?" Itachi smirked, casting an almost imperceptible glance to Sakura.

Sasuke moved toward her, and saw that from her neck down, her skin was an angry red. Blood was coming from her chest and mixing with another unidentifiable liquid on the floor. The glass around her… Sasuke panicked and tried to recall what he'd learned on chemical burns, taking her shirt off with no time for embarrassment.

"You always were slow," Itachi commented cruelly. "You never heed warnings."

"**What did you do**?!" Sasuke yelled when he saw the raw, painful burns on Sakura's body. He ran over to a faucet, grabbed a clean beaker and filled it, throwing the water onto her.

Itachi only looked at his younger brother with disdain as he slipped outside, getting away yet again. "I tried to warn you, foolish little brother."

Ami shook her head. "It wasn't him, Sasuke! It was Orochi—"

"What is going on in here?!" Tsunade barged into the room, a crowd of people behind her, and her face paled when she saw her favourite student lying on the ground. "Oh my God."

"Sakura!" Ino gasped, and Tsunade rushed towards the pink-haired girl.

"What on Earth happened here?" Sarutobi asked in horror.

"It was Orochimaru," Ami cried as people surrounded her. "I tried to get help but he ran away—"

"Tsunade, how is she?"

"She needs to get to the hospital, now!"

"Someone call an ambulance!"

"Call the police and tell them to find Orochimaru and Itachi!"

"They don't matter right now; we can get them later! Save Sakura!"

"Sasuke!" Naruto was shaking the other boy by his shoulders. "What happened, Sasuke?!"

Sasuke couldn't look at Naruto. He couldn't hear the questions and screams of everyone around them. He was frozen in place, and Tsunade had taken over in flushing out Sakura's wounds.

"_I'm telling Sakura. She doesn't deserve this."_

"_Your 'plan' with Sakura is getting in too deep now!"_

"_Sasuke, you're toying with emotions here. This is a bad idea."_

A bad idea from the very beginning. But he didn't listen, and he'd been warned by his best friends. He'd even been warned by Itachi, who saw the plan going wrong and had again surpassed him.

**_Something precious to you is about to be destroyed._**

Sakura was precious. She would always be.

Looking at her, Sasuke directed the question he'd posed to his brother at himself. _"What did **you** do?" _

"Sasuke?! Answer me!"

How could he answer? Naruto had been right, and he was wrong.

"Guys! I think there's something wrong with Sasuke!"

Who cared about him? She was what mattered. He was sorry. He was so sorry. And he might never get to say it to her. He might never get to say it to her, because she could die right here. He wished he could start over, start this all over again, it would never be like this.

"Where the fuck is that ambulance?!"

"I called them, they're coming!"

"—and then I saw him, he looked like Sasuke, and he told me to bring him here and I just did it because I thought he'd help but—"

"FOREHEAD! You better stay alive!"

"Ino, get away from her, you might cut yourself on the glass!"

"Shizune, get to the office and call her parents—tell them to meet her at the hospital!"

"Someone get her on a stretcher! Don't touch anything around her!"

"N-Naruto, S-Sasuke is falling!"

But he couldn't start over, and everything was ending.

* * *

And there is Chapter 33. The song used was 'Someone Wake Me Up' by The Veronicas.

So much drama. What'll happen next? Will Orochimaru and Itachi show up again? What about Sakura and Sasuke? You'll see in the next chapter, after you review. :)

Only two chapters left, by my estimation. I can't believe it, but the story's finally winding down to a close. The poll will be open on my profile until I post the final chapter—go vote for the pairing you want me to write for! :) I'll announce the winner in the last chapter.

(Also, I redid my profile—check it out? :)

Hope you enjoyed this chapter, see you in the next one and remember to review!


	34. Penultimate

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )**

_You guys, this is an update!_

_I have to apologize for the insanely long delay... it's the fault of writer's block, school, exams and (especially) college applications. But remember, I told you I would never just leave a story unfinished, so here I am. _:)

_I really owe it to you guys, though, because of the reviews you gave me to keep on going. I read every single one, though I may not have replied to them all due to lack of time, but really, the support was incredible. _:') _So, after all this time, I really hope you enjoy the penultimate chapter of Images and Imperfections._

_**(.s.)  
**_One minute I held the key,  
Next the walls were closed on me  
And I discovered that my castles stand  
Upon pillars of sand, pillars of sand._**  
(.s.)**_

As soon as he cracked them open, Sasuke's eyes were assaulted by fluorescent lights. He raised a hand to cover them and mumbled, hearing his name before he could close his eyes again.

"Sasuke Uchiha?"

Sasuke jolted upright suddenly, almost headbutting the nurse who stood over him. She stumbled backwards and nearly dropped the clipboard she was holding, watching the black-haired boy take in his unfamiliar surroundings.

"Where am I?"

"Konoha Hospital," the nurse answered courteously, smoothing out her uniform and pushing her long, brown braid behind her back. She looked as if she were in her twenties. "My name is Kaoru. I've worked in this hospital for years, and I was asked to watch you until my supervisor returns."

Sasuke was confused. "Why am I here?"

"Oh," Kaoru looked at her clipboard and clicked her tongue. "'Patient may not remember last incidents before blackout'. That's the medicine's effect, right there. You're here because you passed out in panic when you saw Miss…" she looked at the clipboard again "… Sakura Haruno's injuries."

"_What?"_ Sasuke was still confused, and then the memories came back with the intensity of a lightning bolt.

A broken body.

Irritated skin.

Blood matted into pink hair.

"This is unacceptable!" Kaoru said, worried and indignant as Sasuke threw the blankets off of himself, revealing the hospital gown he was wearing. "You are not to leave this room until you've rested because—"

"I don't care," Sasuke stood up and immediately felt unsteady.

"—your medicine causes dizziness. Mr. Uchiha, just lie down," she tried to coax him back towards the small hospital bed.

Sasuke grunted stubbornly, still clearly stronger than the woman even in his weakened state, and managed to make his way to the door before his dizziness overtook him.

Everything in the hospital was white, pristine and disturbing. The windowless corridor seemed to go on forever, and everything seemed to merge with its blank surroundings. All Sasuke saw was door after door after door, each with a room number. He tried to concentrate and read the patient names scrawled in typical illegible doctor handwriting underneath the numbers, but they were fogged in his eyes.

"_Where is she?"_ Sasuke remembered how battered Sakura was now. The image plagued his mind as he walked, thinking about how cold she was. He shook his head, trying to get the image of blood out of his mind, but only making the world spin more in his eyes. He had to help her. But where was she?

Sasuke's world blurred and he felt himself land squarely on someone's shoulder before he even realized he was falling.

"How the heck did you get out here?" Naruto questioned his friend incredulously. "You look like you're about to die."

Sasuke gritted his teeth and winced—it was terrible to even entertain the thoughts of Sakura and dying together. "Take me—"

"Dude, what the fuck."

Sasuke wanted to clobber him but didn't even have the energy to move. "—to her," he finished.

"N-N-Naruto," the Hyuuga girl was here, too? "I-I think we should take him back to his room—"

"**No,**" Sasuke immediately protested.

"B-But Sakura's f-family are the o-only ones who can see her now—"

"Hinata, why don't you just tell Shikamaru and Neji that Sasuke's up?" Sasuke could tell that the idiot was smiling his thousand-watt smile at her and that the Hyuuga girl's face was bright red. "Don't worry about us, we'll be with Sakura."

"Ah… okay…" Hinata stood confused for a second, but walked off when she saw Naruto begin to move for Sakura's room with Sasuke's arm slung around his shoulder.

Naruto grumbled, "You're lucky I'm saving you."

"Is she okay?" Sasuke asked, and Naruto noticed how serious he was.

"No, she isn't," he confirmed Sasuke's fears, and continued, "but you'll see what you caused."

The cryptic words were entirely unexpected from Naruto, and Sasuke tried his best to stay sane. "Why do you want to see her, anyway?" the blond frowned.

Sasuke breathed heavily. It was a good question.

"Because," leaning on Naruto's shoulder, Sasuke chose his words carefully, "I have something very important that I need to tell her."

A gaze was passed from Sasuke to Naruto and back, and with that unspoken agreement between them, Naruto nodded and began to walk, supporting his friend.

"Uzumaki! What do you think you're doing?!"

"Granny!" Naruto said in surprise, almost letting go of Sasuke. Tsunade was livid as she stomped towards them.

"If you call me that again, you'll be in detention for the rest of your life," Tsunade threatened.

Naruto backed away sheepishly. "Why are you here…?"

"Tsunade is my supervisor!" Kaoru stood proudly by the older woman's side. "She excelled in the medical field and attained several degrees before she became a teacher, but she still volunteers at the hospital. Tsunade is an excellent role model!"

Kaoru's voice annoyed Sasuke and made his head hurt even more. He was pleased to see that Tsunade paid little regard to the nurse as she ignored her and continued speaking to Naruto. "Can't you see he should be resting?"

"He says he really needs to see Sakura," Naruto said simply.

"Only Sakura's family can see her right now," Tsunade echoed Hinata's words, "and I believe Uchiha is the last person who should want to see her."

The words cut through Sasuke like a knife. "I didn't…" he started when the world began to spin.

"Sasuke!" Naruto panicked, but once again the other boy's vision was overtaken by a world of black.

* * *

The next time Sasuke awakened, Ino and Shikamaru were next to his hospital bed. They were both holding books in their hands (Shikamaru's a text book, Ino's the latest _Seventeen_), but while Shikamaru read, Ino stared absently into space. When they noticed Sasuke stirring, Shikamaru closed his book and sighed, while Ino gripped hers tightly.

"How are you feeling?" Shikamaru asked.

Sasuke could feel the tense atmosphere as he sat up. "Better."

"Good," Ino said tersely, "I wish Sakura could say that."

Sasuke faced her fully, and her gaze was solid and frozen. Shikamaru sighed long and low.

"Ino," Shikamaru said, and it was clear that they had fought about how to handle this situation before Sasuke awakened, "Ino, please—"

"No," the blonde's blue eyes were aflame. "Sasuke needs to know how much of an asshole he is."

Again, people were talking about him as if he wasn't around. "Say your piece," Sasuke said.

Ino moved to hit him, but Shikamaru pulled her back. "This is more than that. She's my best friend…"

The sniffles Sasuke was hearing caught him off guard. Ino cried into her hands as Shikamaru put his arms around her. She tried to stand her ground with Sasuke.

"Why did you have to choose the one girl who actually liked you _for who you were_, lead her on and then use her like pest control? Why did you have to get her mixed up in some fight where she gets attacked and nearly killed because of you?

"Sakura has always liked you, and you're an ass for taking advantage of that." Ino shook her head, her ponytail flying. "That's my piece," she said as she stormed out of the room.

Sasuke stared after Ino, wishing that he were dreaming. He wanted her to be able to pinch himself and wake up, to know that he would have a chance to start over.

"This is more than troublesome," Shikamaru said, and Sasuke put a hand over his eyes.

"This is his room, officers."

"Thank you, Tsunade," Principal Sarutobi said, and Sasuke blinked as they walked inside, two policemen and Kaoru the nurse trailing behind them.

"What…?" Shikamaru started, but Tsunade interrupted.

"These men have already interviewed Ami Watanabe, Kana Morime and the security guard, and now they need your information urgently, Sasuke. The suspects involved need to be found immediately."

Sasuke felt another panic attack coming on.

"Don't panic," Sasuke turned quickly to see who had guessed his thoughts so accurately, and he locked eyes with Principal Sarutobi. "Just tell the truth."

A memory from when Sasuke had just received Itachi's first letter came to mind. The principal had ripped it to shreds, but it was the expression on his face that prompted Sasuke's memory. It was the same as the one he wore now.

"_I believe you about what Itachi did."_

"Everyone except Sasuke Uchiha needs to exit the room," one policeman said. Shikamaru patted Sasuke on the shoulder once in a gesture of solidarity before he left the room with Tsunade. Principal Sarutobi lingered for a second, casting that same gaze at Sasuke, and then left.

"Good evening, Mr. Uchiha," one of the policemen said.

"_Evening?"_ Sasuke wondered, looking at the tiny room's windows, but the blinds were closed. Had it become so late already?

"We are officers from the Konoha Police Department, and we think you have some information that may be useful to us. My name is Akito Matari and my partner is Seiji Ohana."

Sasuke watched them both carefully. Seiji Ohana was slimmer and less muscular than his partner. He was sitting where Ino was before, hunched over a notepad with pen in hand, ready.

"Mr. Uchiha, we believe you have some important information pertaining to this case." Akito sat back in the chair Shikamaru had left.

Sasuke knew that most police investigations started with what seemed like small talk, but he did not expect what Akito said next.

"Mr. Itachi Uchiha is your brother and a highly influential person in the country. You must be proud."

Sasuke's fists clenched instinctively and the police officers noticed this. "Or are you… jealous," Akito took a slightly different direction, watching Sasuke's reactions as Seiji began to write quickly.

"_Just tell the truth."_

"I am not jealous," Sasuke said slowly, and Seiji took note.

Akito changed his route just a bit, letting Sasuke take a more open question. "How do you feel about your brother?"

Sasuke didn't let the flood of horrendous words that came with the suggestion of Itachi Uchiha rain on the officers in front of him. They looked at him with anxious eyes, and Sasuke knew that he would have to give them an answer soon…

"_Just tell the truth."_

... a truthful answer. This might be the only chance he would get.

"When did you begin working with the police force?" Sasuke asked.

Akito and Seiji exchanged a surprised look as Seiji wrote. "Around three years ago," Akito answered slowly. "Why?"

Three years ago. That meant that they would not have been there long enough to be persuaded by Itachi's bribe. Sasuke looked them both in the eyes. The men's eyes were honest. They were good citizens, doing their jobs.

"_I believe you about what Itachi did."_

There was a chance that they would believe him. A chance that he could finally get his brother arrested for the sins he committed so many years ago.

"Mr. Uchiha…?" the officers searched his expression, and Sasuke closed his eyes for a moment.

"I'll tell you everything," the Uchiha said, "but the story starts long before this…"

* * *

Kana didn't think she had ever felt so awkward in her entire life.

Standing in the waiting room, she'd heard the persons closest to the pink-haired girl outright grovel on both knees for her to wake up,

_("Sakura... your mother and I promise to find whoever did this to you and have them punished. Please, darling, just wake up… your mother will try to speak to you soon, but she needs to stop crying… you're our only child, and we love you so much.")_

Reason with her to wake up,

_("Sakura, I know from my medical years that you can probably hear me right now. If you can, please come back… we all wish for your speedy recovery.")_

And even threaten her to wake up,

_("Come on, Forehead! I know your Billboard Brow is tougher than that… I swear, I'm gonna give Sasuke the bitch slap he deserves for this. Yet I know you don't want that… you're my best friend, so please… just get up.")_

Friends had been allowed to see Sakura around an hour ago, but Kana herself had not gone to see her. Frankly, she was not sure if she should. The two girls were not friends, and Kana felt a little guilty as she had been following Ami in the SICKNESS club and had a part, however small, in getting Sakura into trouble.

Even if this huge mess was really Ami's fault.

Kana remembered the purple-haired girl having a breakdown as the they were being interviewed by the policemen. Ami had confessed to stealing Ino's cell phone and luring Sakura into the lethal trap set with Orochimaru. The plan was so devious and underhanded that Kana really didn't know what to say as her once-idol broke to pieces in front of her.

She remembered the policeman's eyes boring into Ami's. "Orochimaru agreed to hurt her for you."

"Yes," Ami had whispered.

The officer had then turned to face Kana. "Did you know about this?"

"She didn't," Ami answered before Kana could open her mouth. "I planned it by myself."

Ami stared at the floor until the officer's next question. "Why did you hate Sakura so much?"

"She was going after Sasuke!" Ami yelled suddenly, shocking the officers. "That, that pink-haired… _freak_. She didn't deserve him—"

"Yes, she did," Kana interrupted, "because he liked her."

"How can you…" Ami looked at Kana and she saw something different.

There was a little fire in the blonde's eyes that wasn't there before. Set free by the glasses Ami had broken, it was plain to see.

"Kana, remember who we're talking about," Ami said. "Sakura is—"

"—someone you owe a serious apology," Kana said. "I'm not going to side with you anymore."

"You…" Ami said, too surprised by that light. The police officers watched them closely, and one of them wrote furiously in a notepad. "Are you _leaving me_? Leaving the club? You can't. You don't know anything else. You'd be completely lost without me showing you where to go all the time."

Without her glasses, Ami looked to Kana like nothing but a purple blur. Yet Kana felt as if she'd never seen anything clearer in her life. She saw a jealous control freak whose only strength was getting people to follow her and ruining happiness for others—which really was not strength at all.

Kana glared at the purple-haired girl. "Watch me."

The other officer asked Ami more questions about what had happened that day as Kana breathed in and out. She felt so angry with herself now. How had she followed such a person for so long? How could she have in the first place?

"Tenten and Hinata have just exited Sakura's room," Lee's voice brought Kana back to the present. "Would you like to visit her with me?"

Kana was one of the few girls who didn't find Sasuke Uchiha attractive—Ami's influence was the only thing that drove her to join the club. She owed Sakura an apology as well. Maybe they would be friends one day.

She looked at Lee, at a friendship newly beginning. She wasn't imagining these butterflies in her stomach.

"Okay," she smiled, and took his hand, creating the start of something else.

* * *

"_**He hasn't come."**_

Everything hurt. Sakura could barely muster the energy to move, but she was listening to the voices around her. She wanted to smile at her father's voice and ask him to tell her mother to stop crying; that she was still here. She wanted to comfort her friends and tell Ino to leave Sasuke alone—

"_**He hasn't come. Sasuke hasn't come."**_

-- but Sasuke hadn't come. He hadn't come to see her. She wondered for a brief second if he even cared, and then, exhausted, drifted into sleep.

* * *

"I feel better. Let me go."

The younger Uchiha figured that if he couldn't completely bypass the nurse attending his room, then maybe he could talk her into letting him out.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke. I just can't." Somewhere in the long course of his trying to persuade her, the two had begun to speak on a somewhat friendly basis.

He resorted to bribery. "Name your price," Sasuke said, "and I'll match it."

Kaoru bristled. "This is not about money! This is my job; I treasure it and I'll do it right, which means there is no way you're getting out of here."

"See, Sasuke," Naruto stuck his tongue out at his friend, "It's not always about you."

"What a drag," Shikamaru sighed.

"And I'm also afraid that visiting hours are over," Kaoru said, looking at the other two boys sitting in the room, "so it's time for you to leave."

"Whyyyy?" Naruto whined. "Neji had to leave to take the girls home, and Shikamaru and I are supposed to take the bus, but we can just tell Neji to come back later. I mean, as long as Granny doesn't find out—"

"Tsunade," Kaoru corrected briskly, "would not be pleased to know you two are even in here right now."

Shikamaru groaned. "Let's just go, Naruto."

"Fine," the blond pouted.

"Hold on a second," Sasuke tried to take his blanket off.

"You're staying," Kaoru commanded, "for at least one night, so we can monitor you."

"I'm fine," Sasuke said for the umpteenth time.

"We'll see about that tomorrow," Kaoru opened the door. "You two," she pointed at Shikamaru and Naruto, "out."

"Later, Sasuke," Shikamaru said. "Don't be troublesome."

"Byeee," Naruto waved as Kaoru pushed him out of the room.

Sasuke grumbled something incoherent as he watched them leave, and then the nurse stepped into the doorframe.

"Sakura Haruno," she whispered once the other two boys were out of earshot, "isn't in very critical condition. She's stable, and we would like it to remain that way for a while before you see her. It is Tsunade's concern that you would probably make her very emotional."

Sasuke cast his eyes away from the nurse's knowing ones. "You'll see her soon," she promised, "maybe even tomorrow. She's expected to be able to talk then."

Sasuke swiveled toward her. Was she hurt that badly?

"Goodnight, Sasuke," Kaoru said before he could ask, turning off the light in his room and closing the door.

Left alone in the darkness, Sasuke knew he would never be able to fall asleep. He stared at the ceiling and held his hand up, only able to see the faintest outline.

He couldn't believe he had actually told those officers the truth. He felt as if he had dreamt it, the way the truth poured out of him and left him feeling light and unburdened.

The officers were shocked as he told them about the massacre, and about Itachi's cryptic letters. They took the letters from him to be used as evidence, and he even told them about Orochimaru's offer to attend school in Sound, an offer he had so nearly taken.

The officers seemed to rejoice for this lead; they felt confident it would be the key to cracking the case as soon as it was combined with evidence they found from their interview with Ami, and one they would have with Sakura when she was better.

Sakura…

He remembered her injuries and shuddered. Could she really not even speak… he was sitting here, almost perfectly fine, and she was badly hurt, burned, and bleeding.

How could he have let this happen? He gritted his teeth, fed up with himself. How did his plan go so awry? How did he mess up so badly? He remembered his friends' repeated warnings and wanted to slap himself. He never made mistakes like this.

"_It's like the Sasuke I saw before wasn't the same person. It was an image S__asuke."_

Just an image that everyone seemed to see. An image of an impenetrable person: desirable, brilliant and cold.

"_I'm not as perfect as you thought."_

Yet everyone is raw and somewhat broken on the inside.

"_This Sasuke's the real Sasuke, imperfections and all."_

He remembered her eyes. They were a emerald green that had the depth of an entire forest in that moment. He shook his head. It wasn't just for the moment… the depth was always there.

"_I promise to stay with you."_

The depth was always there. Her intentions were good and always there. She had always been there and he had always pushed her away.

Sasuke quickly removed the blankets and marched to the door. He was pleasantly surprised to see that the room door had been left unlocked. Remembering Kaoru's knowing eyes, he made a note to himself to thank her, and exited the room.

Only a trace of his vertigo remained as he walked into the hall, and he looked at the seemingly endless number of doors ahead of him. Sakura was in one of these rooms, and he had to find her.

Sasuke walked, stopping to try to decipher name after name in the dark, but finding none that matched that of his pink-haired classmate. After fifteen doors, he got anxious, and walked faster.

"_I need to find her,"_ he thought after the twentieth door. A sense of anxiety came as he entered a new corridor, still not seeing her name. _"I just want to see her."_

The doors showed him only unfamiliar names, and Sasuke went even faster. He combed through the corridors looking for her name, and he finally found it.

**Room 55422**

_**Sakura Haruno**_

Sasuke froze before he took hold of the doorknob and turned it slowly. Her door was also unlocked, and he pushed it all the way open before stepping inside.

* * *

"Sakura…"

She woke up slowly to the sound of his voice.

"Sakura… can you hear me?"

"_I can hear you,"_ she wanted to say. _"I can hear you clearly."_

"_**He came. Sasuke came."**_

* * *

Sasuke felt around for the light switch inside the dark room, but he changed his mind as soon as his hand touched it—light would only amplify the damage he had done.

Her outline in the moonlight made her seem as fragile as glass. Bandages covered her entire torso, and he watched the rhythmic fluttering of the rise and fall of her chest. He walked towards her slowly and stroked the pink hair spread over her pillow.

He wished she would open her eyes. He wanted to see the emerald light shine from them the way it always did. All he could see now were pale, still eyelids, and he wondered if they would hide her eyes forever, like a permanent shield for the treasure he'd come so close to destroying.

"Sakura…" Sasuke started. She showed no sign of response. He stepped closer to her and moved down the blanket that covered her body, revealing miles of red-stained bandages, and clenched his fist. He kneeled next to her bed, clasping his hand in hers. "Sakura, I'm so sorry."

* * *

"_He's crying,"_ Sakura realized. She heard the break in Sasuke's voice. _"He's crying."_

"I didn't want any of this to happen," Sasuke squeezed her hand harder as trails of water slipped from his eyes. "I didn't mean for you to get hurt like this. If I could just take all of this back…"

"_Don't cry,"_ Sakura pleaded in her mind, but Sasuke's tears continued to stream down his face.

The black-haired boy felt Sakura's hand slip from his as he shook. Where had all of this gone wrong? How had someone who meant so little to him grown to mean so much? When did he begin to hurt her? He'd hurt her so much… and it was not his intention.

"Sakura…"

"_The words aren't coming,"_ Sasuke realized, regaining his grip on the pink-haired girl's hand. He wouldn't let her go. He would never let her go.

"Sakura…" he said again, and he knew what he had to say. He knew what this feeling was; this feeling that told him losing her would be losing everything. "Sakura, I love you."

Sakura's breath caught and her heartbeat raced. Her world seemed to crash when she heard the words she thought she would never hear.

"I _love_ you," Sasuke reiterated the words breathlessly, almost disbelieving that he had said them. His grip on her hand was tight, as if letting go would make her disappear. "I love you, and I'm not afraid to say it. I should have said it earlier…"

He should have. He'd known, on some basic level, that he felt differently about her than anyone else. Even his friends had seen it.

"_Your plan totally backfired—you __like her__!"_

He should have just admitted it. He shouldn't have hidden his feelings for her under lock and key. If he hadn't, perhaps all of this could have been avoided.

Sakura felt desperate as his words melted into teardrops on her hands. She knew how difficult it was for Sasuke to talk about his feelings. She would do anything to be able to pour out her own long-harboured feelings for him, she'd do anything to make him stop crying, she'd do anything just to be able to speak. She gathered all of her energy.

"Sas… uke."

He stopped shaking abruptly, still holding her hand. He saw her eyelids shaking, struggling to open, trying hard to see him.

"Sas… uke…" the voice was throaty and dry and unlike her regular one, but it was music to his ears, "I… I…"

"I know," he moved an arm around her, careful to touch her very gently, and buried his face in the crook of her neck. "You don't have to say it, I know."

Moonlight became sunlight and continued to spill on them as Sasuke stayed kneeling by Sakura's side, clutching her hand until they both fell asleep. When Kaoru saw them like that early the next morning, all she could do was smile.

* * *

That's chapter 34! :D The song used was Viva La Vida by Coldplay.

I really hope you enjoyed this chapter! It's by far the longest chapter I've ever written (4000-5000 words!), and I really agonized over it in any spare time that I had.

I really appreciate every review from you guys, and while you wait for the conclusion to the story, remember to review! :D


	35. Closure

**Disclaimer:** **I don't own Naruto, but then you already knew that. : )**

_I'm sorry this chapter took so long. Real life got in the way._

_6. I think most people assumed the (.s.) (.s.) containing the song lyrics at the beginning of every chapter meant (.song.). Little secret about the story: they actually mean (.Sasuke.) and (.Sakura.) Each song is from Sasuke to Sakura or vice versa; but it isn't so obvious because both their names start with s! –laugh-_

_Also, THE VOTES ARE IN! Here are the results of the poll:_

_ShikaIno ... 9 votes  
NaruHina __..._ 13 votes  
SakuSasuIno (love triangle) ... 19 votes_**  
NejiTen **__..._ _**21 votes**_

_So NejiTen will be the main pairing of my next multichapter story. _:)_ Thank you all for voting! I'm really excited about the NejiTen story. It may take a while, so add me to Author Alerts so that you will see it, okay? _:) _If you voted for one of the other pairings, don't despair: I may write those as well, with time._

_Now, I really hope you enjoy the last chapter!_

_**(.s.)  
**_So, here we are  
That's pretty far  
When you think of where we've been.  
No going back,  
I'm fading out  
All that has faded me within…_**  
(.s.)**_

_**

* * *

**_

**The Konoha Canopy**

_bringing accurate news to citizens of Konoha._

BREAKING NEWS:

BILLIONAIRE ITACHI UCHIHA ARRESTED

The elder heir to the prestigious Uchiha Corporation and the Uchiha family fortune was arrested at his home last night under suspicion of plotting the brutal murder of his entire family years ago.

Itachi Uchiha's presumed motive for committing the crime was to attain the massive assets of the Uchiha properties before he would have rightfully inherited them. However, due to careful stipulations from deceased father Fugaku Uchiha, assets which younger son Sasuke Uchiha was entitled could not be touched by Itachi.

Sasuke Uchiha is the only other surviving member of the family. Police suspect that once Sasuke turned eighteen and gained access to his share of the fortune, Itachi would have had him killed so that he could take the money as his own.

Sasuke Uchiha's share of the Uchiha fortune was also coveted by Orochimaru, a high-level chemist who planned to use the money to fund his illegal experiments on chemical warfare and body switching. Desiring Sasuke at all costs, Orochimaru attacked Sakura Haruno; a friend of Sasuke's who tried to stop him from leaving Konoha. Orochimaru was apprehended by police as he attempted to escape to the land of Sound and is expected to serve a life sentence.

Policemen Akito Matari and Seiji Ohana gained the leads from a dependable source. Itachi Uchiha's entire mansion was searched thoroughly. Inside a secret compartment, signed agreements between Itachi and several officers of the Konoha Police Department to hide all evidence of Itachi's betrayal of his family in exchange for money were found. These officers have since had their badges revoked and were taken into custody.

Aiding and abetting the crime was caretaker of the Uchiha household, Kadtsu Morino; also bribed by Itachi with money from the Uchiha fortune. Kadtsu was arrested at the Uchiha mansion where he looked after Sasuke Uchiha; seemingly as a spy for Itachi Uchiha. Sasuke has since been removed from his care and is now living as an emancipated minor.

Itachi Uchiha has been stripped of his inheritance, and Sasuke Uchiha will have complete control of the Uchiha fortune once he becomes eighteen years old.

* * *

"Any mistakes?" a reporter from the Konoha Canopy asked as Sasuke read the article.

The black-haired boy held the paper in shaky hands—finally, there was proof. Itachi was getting the punishment he deserved, Orochimaru was being arrested, and Sasuke himself had realized that there was more to life than defeating his brother. One sentence repeated in his mind:

… _Orochimaru attacked Sakura Haruno; a friend of Sasuke's who tried to stop him from leaving._

… _Orochimaru attacked Sakura Haruno, a friend of Sasuke's…_

… _Orochimaru attacked Sakura Haruno…_

… _Sakura Haruno…_

"Mr. Uchiha?"

"Sakura is my girlfriend," Sasuke said, pushing the draft back into her hands. "That's the only correction."

The reporter scribbled onto the draft as she stood up. "It'll run in tomorrow's paper; front page."

Sasuke nodded at her as she left the Konoha Police Station. Akito slapped him on the shoulder. "Good job, kid. This must be hard for you."

"_It's harder for her,"_ Sasuke thought of Sakura, but said "I need all of this to be finished."

"Well, everything's been cleared, so you're free to go—"

"Wait," Seiji, the other police officer, ran towards them. "Itachi Uchiha refuses to cooperate. He says he will only comply if he speaks with Sasuke."

"Easy there," Akito said as he saw Sasuke's demeanor grow angry. "You don't have to listen to him. We'll take it from here. You just go home."

"I'll talk to him," Sasuke said.

"You don't have to—"

"Where is he?" Sasuke asked Seiji, who looked at Akito warily.

The burly policeman sighed. "Five minutes, if you insist."

He briefed Sasuke on the rules as they walked ("You are not allowed to give him anything. Seiji and I will be there the entire time. You would normally present identification; but we have already verified your identity. You have already been searched…") but Sasuke found himself paying little attention as they reached the non-contact booth.

Itachi was only separated from him by a wall-sized piece of glass.

"Hello, foolish little brother."

Sasuke stared at Itachi. Itachi's eyes were tired. So tired. The prison garb was ill-fitting on his slender form.

"Why?" was all Sasuke wanted to know.

Itachi was aware that this might be the last time he would see his younger brother. Sasuke's eyes were tired. So tired. He seemed older than his sixteen years.

With that, Itachi decided that Sasuke would never know of the secrets shrouding their family.

Sasuke would never know that their father had been planning a hostile takeover of Konoha and could not be reasoned with. He would never know that Itachi had destroyed their family for the greater good.

Itachi hung his head as he realized that part of the article he had heard the guards talking about was true: after gaining his share of the fortune, he had become desirous of Sasuke's share.

Itachi hated that their eyes were so similar. _"I will not let you become like me."_

He would not be able to watch over his little brother. Who would?

"That girl," Itachi thought out loud.

Sasuke was startled. "What?"

There was a reason Orochimaru had to nearly destroy her to get her out of the way. There was a reason that Itachi himself was able to use her as bait to get to Sasuke.

"You care about each other's happiness. Keep her safe."

"I'm not here for advice," Sasuke said hotly. "I only want to know why you did all of this."

"I won't tell you."

"I deserve to know!" Sasuke slammed his hands on the small table and the police officers became alert.

"There is much you deserve to know that I hope you will never find out."

Sasuke seemed to understand that there were dark secrets hanging over their family. His unsaid sentences hung in the air. _You annihilated our family. You ruined my life. What reason could possibly be sufficient?_

Itachi closed his eyes. "Don't become like me, Sasuke. Reason with people. Find compromise. Trust your instincts. And remember that you are never really alone."

Seiji intervened as Sasuke opened his mouth. "The time you requested to talk to your brother has ended. Sasuke, you must leave now."

Itachi tried to memorize every detail of his brother's face as the police officers lead him away. "Forgive me, Sasuke."

* * *

_Flick!_

Sasuke felt the paper ball bounce off of his forehead, breaking his deep concentration in the middle of Chemistry class. He quickly concealed it under his notebook as the new substitute teacher glanced in his direction to find the source of the noise. Once she locked eyes with Sasuke, she hastily looked away.

Sasuke found that people looked at him differently since the article appeared in the Konoha Canopy.

He looked around the classroom for the source of the ball, but everyone was working quietly. Everyone except—

"Hey, hey," Naruto whispered (too loudly) as he poked Sasuke's shoulder, "_I _threw it!"

— Naruto. Of course. "You didn't have to throw that," Sasuke hissed. "I sit _right beside you_."

Naruto shrugged. "It seemed like a good idea at the time."

"Your ideas aren't good at any time."

"Yet I know I'd never hurt my Hinata the way you hurt Sakura," Naruto retorted, and Sasuke cringed. "Have you gone to see her since you got out of the hospital?"

"I can't," Sasuke mumbled, scraping his pencil into the margin of his notebook.

"Why not?"

"They banned me. I stayed in her room all night—"

Naruto slapped Sasuke on the back. "Way to go!"

"It was nothing like that." Sasuke remembered for a second what that night had been like—the warmth, the confessions, the comfortable feeling of being next to her— and decided that he would speak of it to absolutely no one else. "Tsunade just wasn't happy to see me in Sakura's room in the morning."

"S-Sasuke, N-Naruto," Hinata said quietly from her seat beside the blond, "I-I think the teacher is upset that you're talking…"

"That sucks!" Naruto declared; all traces of whispering abandoned. "Hinata and the other girls go to see her every day now—"

"Uzumaki, Uchiha," the teacher's arms were on her hips, "care to share what you're talking about with the rest of the class?"

"Nope," Naruto said with a grin. "Sorry ma'am."

"Get back to work," she finished, turning back to the whiteboard.

"Yeah, so like I was saying," Naruto was back to his pseudo-whispering.

"Naruto," Sasuke whispered harshly, "maybe we should talk after class—"

"Detention." the teacher dropped the slip of paper onto Sasuke's desk. "One hour after school today in Room 33."

Sasuke held the paper in disbelief. "But—"

"No buts," the teacher said.

Naruto leaned on Sasuke's shoulder. "She said _butts_," he snickered.

Sasuke felt like ripping his best friend to shreds and ignored him steadfastly, even when Naruto resumed throwing paper balls at him that the teacher somehow did not notice. (Fifteen of them, Sasuke counted.) The rest of the day went past him in a blur and before he knew it, he was being let out of his last class with only two minutes until detention.

As he ran to Room 33, Sasuke had to wonder if Kakashi started and ended _every_ class late. He got to the door just in time and grasped the handle.

"Wait for me!" his vision was shrouded by long blonde hair before a girl ran straight into him.

"Sorry!" her voice was girly and slightly annoying. "I was rushing because we're late…" Ino trailed off and became stonier when she realized who she was talking to. "Sasuke."

"Ino," Sasuke said cordially. He opened the door for her and she flounced inside with her lips pursed, deliberately avoiding his gaze.

Sasuke chose to ignore this as he chose a seat. He actually needed to talk to Ino and he had never been one for small talk. Cutting right to the chase, he lay down his cards.

"I'm going to start dating Sakura again."

Ino blinked once. Twice. Three times. And then she laughed.

This did nothing to help Sasuke's situation. He narrowed his eyebrows. He did not actually care for Ino's approval but he knew that as Sakura's best friend, Ino had quite a bit of influence over her. Ino could possibly make Sasuke's life a living hell.

She finally stopped laughing and looked at him seriously. "Sasuke, at some point you're going to have to realize that it's not all about you. You're really selfish if you only want to date her to make yourself feel better about what you did."

"No—"

"You have to think about her feelings too," Ino was frank. "How do you even know she still likes you?"

The answer hung in the air between both of them. Sasuke knew that Ino could answer that question herself.

"She's Sakura," Sasuke said it out loud. "She'll always love me."

This clearly pissed Ino off. "Well, until _you_ love her and give her some _respect_, you shouldn't go near her!"

"Ino," Sasuke started.

She looked at him and he could tell he had to pour out his whole heart. "I'll never let her get hurt like this again. I… honestly… care about her."

"What do you have to show for yourself then, Sasuke?" Ino said, and that was the end of their conversation.

He and Ino waited for twenty minutes in complete silence. Sasuke got a head start on his homework. Ino painted her nails in a colour so terrifyingly bright it made him recoil. Suddenly she stood up.

"It doesn't look like the monitor's going to show up. I'm leaving."

"Hn," Sasuke said.

_"We're back to that again?" Sakura shook her head._

"_Snap out of it,"_ Sasuke told himself. It seemed that everything reminded him of Sakura.

Ino walked out of the room and Sasuke was left by himself, staring at the wall.

"… _you're going to have to realize that it's not all about you."_

"I care about her," he whispered to no one in particular. "I just wish someone would believe me."

"Fear not, Sasuke Uchiha!" said boy was surprised to see Lee at the door with mock tears in his eyes. "You are the only person who needs to believe. You will only have to prove it to everyone else through the power of _youth_!"

"Calm down, Lee," Kana held his shoulder.

Sasuke had been seeing the two of them together a lot lately. He observed them for a minute.

"I cannot!" Lee held a fist high. "I perfectly understand his youthful feelings! I know how torturous it is to hold someone close to your heart without knowing whether they return your love! I know the springtime feeling of true love pulling at your every heartstring!"

"Really?" Kana asked. "Who do you love, Lee?"

Sasuke never thought he would see the day Rock Lee blushed. "Kana—I have wanted to say this for an unduly long time but the youthful opportunity has evaded me. I have done two thousand pushups each time I failed, but—"

"LEE!" Gai ran towards them. "Am I bearing witness to your first youthful confession of love?"

"GAI!" Lee cried. "This glorious moment shines brighter than any in my youthful life thus far!"

"LEE!"

"GAI!"

"LEE!"

Sasuke left the room before the crashing waves and shining teeth began. He didn't have to walk very far until he heard someone say his name. Naruto was running up to him and Sasuke, still upset about being sent to a useless detention, resisted the urge to walk away.

"What do you want now?" the black-haired boy asked impatiently.

"Hinata just told me," Naruto panted, "that Sakura's coming back to school in two weeks!"

* * *

"Here you are, Mr. Haruno," Kakashi said as he handed him a large stack of papers in the teachers' lounge. "These are some photocopied notes for Sakura to read. They'll help her to keep up with the rest of the class until she comes back."

"Thank you very much," the girl's father was grateful. "Who was kind enough to write this?"

"It's a compilation," Kakashi said, and Sakura's father looked through and saw the varying handwritings. "I had a lot of volunteers. For example, here's some from Hinata Hyuuga," Kakashi pointed towards very neat cursive, "Ino Yamanaka… " There was a shockingly bright-coloured stain near the blonde's handwriting. "But the bulk of it is from Sasuke Uchiha."

Something in the other man's face changed as soon as Sasuke was mentioned. He slapped the papers shut.

"He's not a bad child," Kakashi leaned back on the desk.

"My daughter is in the hospital right now because of him."

"It isn't Sasuke's fault," Kakashi said. He took a newspaper off of a nearby shelf. "This is the latest issue of the Konoha Canopy. The front page should interest you."

Sakura's father took it from him warily and scanned the pages.

"Sasuke isn't a bad child," Kakashi repeated as he saw the other man's expression fill with surprise and understanding. "He's simply been surrounded by the wrong people for most of his life. With Sakura, that will change. I'm sure he will also be a positive influence on her."

Sakura's father handed the newspaper back to Kakashi. "He was respectful when he came to my house. Suzume and Sakura liked him very much. Admittedly, I enjoyed having him." He ran a hand through his white hair. "I won't tolerate any semblance to a repeat of this; but I'll allow him to prove himself to me again."

"Thank you," Kakashi said gratefully.

Mr. Haruno looked at a clock on the wall. "I have to go. There's a meeting I need to attend," he said. "Have a good day."

Kakashi waved as Sakura's father walked away. The teacher looked at the clock on the wall. _"Come to think of it, wasn't there something I had to do—?"_

"Hey Kakashi," Anko called from across the room. "Weren't you supposed to monitor detention today?"

Kakashi took out his book. "I was just robbed and brought here by mysterious gypsies on a travelling caravan."

"You moron."

* * *

As they pulled up in front of Konoha Amusement Park, the chauffeur pondered Sasuke's unusual choice of destination for only a second before the black-haired boy closed the limousine door behind him. "I'll need around 15 minutes."

Sasuke heard his chauffeur's distant response as he walked away. He wasn't entirely sure why he had come here. _"Trust your instincts,"_ Itachi had said, and despite everything that had happened between them, Sasuke knew it was good advice. After hearing that Sakura was returning soon, his instincts had led him here.

While walking, he watched children drag their parents to various rides. A father carried his young daughter in his arms. Couples walked past him; smiling and holding hands. The amusement park just as crowded as it had been when they all went there together.

_SPLASH._

And they still hadn't fixed the damn water ride.

Sasuke coughed as he wiped the water away from his eyes. He remembered the way Sakura had laughed in front of him, soaking wet. He remembered the way she hugged him and the way he resisted putting his arms around her.

"_What do you have to show for yourself, Sasuke?"_

Sasuke's gaze lowered. Water dripped from his clothes onto the ground. Carefree chatter was all around him and Sasuke remembered walking with Sakura, hearing her whisper—

Sasuke knew why his instincts had told him to come here. With purposeful strides, he headed for a specific stall.

* * *

The next two weeks passed too slowly for Sasuke's liking. He realized that he had taken seeing Sakura every day at school for granted. Her absence agitated him more than he could say as he walked into the school building.

Around him, people were whispering and looking at him strangely. Had they not gotten over the article in the Konoha Canopy yet?

"You're all going to be late for class if you don't hurry up," Shikamaru was on Hall Monitor duty, waving the students in the direction of the classrooms. As they moved, their eyes were fixed on Sasuke. Sasuke moved to go with them, but Shikamaru held him back.

"Sakura is back today," Shikamaru said. "That's what all the whispering is about."

Sasuke instantly became more alert. He couldn't care less about what the other students thought. "Where is she?"

"Ino and the other girls are waiting to see her. She's in a meeting with Tsunade right now. She's still got some bandages on, but she's been cleared to go to class—"

"Where is she," Sasuke repeated.

"You have to wait until she's out of the meeting."

"Where. Is. She."

Shikamaru sighed. "She's in the Physics lab," he said. Sasuke immediately ran off in that direction, and Shikamaru sighed again. "What a drag."

Sasuke sped through the crowds of students expertly. The wait was over. She was here. In his hurry, he almost ran past the Physics lab.

"Hey!" Tenten protested from her seat. Sasuke barely registered Ino, Tenten and Hinata sitting outside the lab as he grasped the doorknob. "You can't just barge in there! We've been waiting here forever—"

"—the S.I.C.K.N.E.S.S. club has been disbanded, and Ami Watanabe has been suspended. I'm not worried about your schoolwork, either. You'll catch up quickly, Sakura," Sasuke heard Tsunade say before he swung open the door. Both Tsunade and Sakura quickly turned to face him.

Sakura's eyes widened and her face went red. "Sas—"

"To hell with waiting," Ino barged through the doorway and hugged her best friend. Tenten and Hinata joined her and made a group hug. Sakura laughed. Sasuke's eyes never left her.

"Perhaps you girls would consider going to class?" There was a hint of a smile on Tsunade's face as she watched their reunion. "I have another meeting to attend." Tsunade nodded at them before she left the room.

"Hey Sakura, come on," Ino tugged on her hand. "We have a Math test today and I am so screwed—"

"I-Ino," Hinata halted her gently and gestured to Sakura's eyes. Ino followed the pink-haired girl's stare straight to Sasuke.

The black-haired boy's hand hadn't moved from the doorknob. Sakura stood in front of him, completely frozen. The friendly aura in the room had been replaced by tension.

"Sakura," he said her name and all other words disappeared from his mind.

"Sakura," Sasuke tried again. There was so much he wanted to say to her. He wondered if she felt the same way. She looked different to him. Her eyes were a brighter green; her hair a more womanly shade of pink. Had he forgotten what she looked like? No. He would never. He could never. But…

"You look…"

"… different," she completed his sentence. They looked at each other with the same eyes.

"I brought something for you," Sasuke said, slinging his bag over his shoulder. He opened it, took out a present wrapped in red and gave it to her.

Sakura looked from the oddly shaped present in her hand to Sasuke and back. She had no idea what it was until she began to peel off the wrapping paper. As she removed more and more of the paper, Sakura's eyes lit up in recognition and filled with tears.

In her hands was a small, stuffed bear with a smile on its face, holding a flower that said 'I Love You'.

"You remember this?" she stared at the bear. "This was from—"

"The amusement park," Sasuke said. "I remember you saying that you liked it."

"After all this time?" Sakura was at a loss for words, which came tenfold as Sasuke's arms enveloped her. She closed her eyes. Sasuke reveled in the feel of her body and the familiar scent of her hair. When he buried his face into the crook of her neck, his breath made Sakura's skin tingle.

"Sakura—"

The bell rang; interrupting Sasuke's words and reminding him that Ino, Hinata and Tenten were still in the room. Hinata's face was tomato red. It was Ino who reacted first.

"We're going to be late," she said, dragging the other two girls out of the room and towards their classroom, slamming the door behind them.

"You're just leaving them?" Tenten questioned. "I thought you were against this."

"Forehead Girl is a big kid now. She can take care of herself," Ino said as she walked. "And Sasuke… he's different, in the way he talks to her and touches her… I see what he has to show for himself."

"Huh?"

Ino smiled. "Short version of the story: They're good together."

"Sasuke," Sakura said softly as Sasuke's hands ran over her, reveling in the fact that she was _there_, _right there_ with her heartbeat and her green eyes and her love that never left him, even in the darkest times. "Are we going to go to class?"

"Do you mind being five minutes late," Sasuke said. It wasn't really a question. "There are just a few more things I want to say."

Sakura nodded, her voice lost as Sasuke's arms brought her closer still. Her hands caressed his hair and led a soft trail down to his chest. Sasuke nearly forgot to speak.

"You have no idea how much I missed you," he said. Sakura was about to reply when he put a finger to her lips. He needed to say all of this. "A few months ago, I never thought I'd fall in love with you."

Sasuke wiped away the tears that fell from Sakura's eyes. "I was selfish enough to have to almost lose you before I realized it. I wouldn't blame you if you never forgave me for that."

"I forgave you the moment you walked into the hospital room," Sakura said.

"Thank you, even though I don't deserve it." Sasuke looked into her eyes.

She returned his gaze and replied, "You deserve everything."

Her vibrant, viridian eyes met his determined, dark ones and their need for each other was almost palpable.

He relaxed his hold on her. She realized what was happening and seized his lips with hers as he held her by the waist. Sasuke did not start off gentle; every kiss he gave her exuded raw need that Sakura felt deep in her bones. As Sasuke called her name in that masculine voice she loved so much, she knew he felt the same.

"Someday," Sakura said inbetween kisses, "I hope I'll make you as happy as you make me."

"You've been doing that every day since I met you."

They were many more than five minutes late for class.

_**(.s.)**_  
You broke through  
All of my confusion,  
The ups and the downs and you still didn't leave,  
I guess that you saw what nobody could see,  
The good and the bad and the things inbetween,  
You found me._**  
(.s.)**_

The song used for this chapter was 'You Found Me' by Kelly Clarkson.

Thank all of you so much for supporting me; especially those of you who have been here since chapter 1. It's been a long three-year ride and I feel both accomplished and a little sad as I mark this story Complete. My writing steadily improved as I wrote this story and I couldn't have done it without you all.

I'd really like it if you reviewed this chapter. I hope it was worth making you guys wait so long! I did my best. :)

Thanks so much!  
-danielie


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